10 CLS:VDU1,24 20 VDU2 30 VDU1,27,1,97,1,1:REM Centering On 40 PRINT" A Crabbit Old Woman ?" 50 PRINT" ---------------------"' 60 : 70 PRINT"What do you see nurses, what do you see?" 80 PRINT"What are you thinking when you are looking at me." 90 PRINT"A crabbit old woman, not very wise," 100 PRINT"Uncertain of habit, with far-away eyes," 110 PRINT"Who dribbles her food and makes no reply" 120 PRINT"When you say in a loud voice, - ' I do wish you'd try '." 130 PRINT"Who seems not to notice the things that you do," 140 PRINT"And forever is losing a stocking or shoe."' 150 : 160 PRINT"Who unresisting or not, lets you do as you will," 170 PRINT"With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill." 180 PRINT"Is that what you're thinking, is that what you see?" 190 PRINT"Then open your eyes, nurse, - you're not looking at me." 200 PRINT"I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still," 210 PRINT"As I use at your bidding, as I eat at your will." 220 PRINT"I'm a small child of ten, with a father and mother," 230 PRINT"Brothers and sisters, who love one another."' 240 : 250 PRINT"A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet," 260 PRINT"Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet." 270 PRINT"A bride soon at twenty - my heart gives a leap," 280 PRINT"Remembering the vows that I promised to keep." 290 PRINT"At twenty-five now I have young of my own," 300 PRINT"Who need me to build a secure, happy home." 310 PRINT"A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast," 320 PRINT"Bound to each other with ties that will last."' 330 : 340 PRINT"At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone," 350 PRINT"But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn." 360 PRINT"At fifty, once more babies play round my knee," 370 PRINT"Again we know children, my loved one and me." 380 PRINT"Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead," 390 PRINT"I look to the future, I shudder with dread," 400 PRINT"For my young are all rearing young of their own," 410 PRINT"And I think of the years and the love that I've known."' 420 : 430 PRINT"I'm an old woman now, and nature is cruel," 440 PRINT"'Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool." 450 PRINT"The body it crumbles, grace and vigour depart," 460 PRINT"There is now a stone where I once had a heart." 470 PRINT"But inside this old carcasse a young girl still dwells," 480 PRINT"And now and again my battered heart swells." 490 PRINT"I remember the joys, I remember the pain," 500 PRINT"And I'm loving and living life over again."' 510 : 520 PRINT"I think of the years - all too few - gone too fast," 530 PRINT"And accept the stark fact that nothing can last." 540 PRINT"So open your eyes, nurses, open and see" 550 PRINT"Not a crabbit old woman, - look closer - SEE ME!"' 560 : 570 PRINT"It seemed when the old lady died in the Geriatric Ward of Ashludie" 580 PRINT"Hospital, near Dundee, that she had left nothing of any value. then" 590 PRINT"the nurse on going through her posessions found this poem" 600 PRINT"the old lady's last and only bequest to posterity." 610 : 620 PRINT"PS From Fred - My wifes Aunt before she was eighty often used to say" 630 PRINT"'That old age is very cruel'She was sick of waiting till it was over" 640 PRINT"She at last got her wish in a home a few months before her Centenery" 650 VDU1,27,1,97,1,0:REM Centering Off 660 VDU3:END 670 : 680 REM CRABBIT was written by an unknown author at a unknown date 690 REM Computed by Fred Price 30/10/69 700 REM SAVE"CRABBIT"