Care

My mammy made munitions in the war

Her labour needed

Domestic service o’er

And then she married

Four children she did bear

And brought us up with ever loving care

 

And when my father’s health

Had broken down

She went out to work

In the local town

 

Auxiliary nursing first she found

And learned the skills for old folk on that ground

And then applied and got

Assistant matron

Old folks home in Leigh

She had her skates on

 

Then came the pinnacle of her work

Matron of a forty bed no shirk

She was wonderful at her task

And full of care

For all the residents then assembled there

 

As they left this world she held their hand

Accompanied them into that promised land

 

Our hospitals our care homes need support

We need to shape ourselves says the report

People like my mother are still here

But selfishness is sadly always near

 

Brian Fahy

29 December 2022