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