White Painted Walls - Poem

White Painted Walls

She sits in her chair looking out of the window
The view is grey and boring
All she sees is a concrete yard and white painted walls
She feels old and unwanted, alone and afraid
Her body is failing her bit by bit
Her bones are weak and her body is tired
Everything is wearing out at once
Her mind at times confused
Her husband long gone she feels forgotten
As the world outside moves on her life indoors is standing still
People pop in but no one stays
She is a nuisance, an inconvenience
They only come out of duty not love
It is down hill from here
Each day is a struggle both mentally and physically
She feels like giving up
Would anyone miss her if she was gone?
She cries out loud but no one is around to hear
She is lonely but there is no one to talk to
Her body rattles from the numerous pills the hospital and doctors make her take
She hasn’t got a life anymore
She is a burden to her family, friends and neighbours
She is unable to go out
She is a prisoner in her own home
Every day all she sees is the same four drab walls
She watches the dust and dirt build up
She spends her days watching television or falling asleep in her favourite chair
There is nothing else she can do
She lacks motivation and energy
It is an effort to prepare food or a drink
To read a book or to write a letter
There is nothing else for her to do or see
She has had her adventures
She watched the man she married become ill and slowly die a sad and undignified death
She nursed him for as long as she could
Who will volunteer to nurse her?
She could live for five or ten years
Slowly deteriorating more and more
Unable to fend for herself she will have to go into a home
Spending her last days on earth surrounded by strangers who care out of duty not love
Sitting alone in her chair she has got plenty of time to swell on her future and on her death


This piece was written about my next door neighbour.