Friday 26 April 2013

Helpless, a new poem

It has been some time since I managed a poem of any length and this one came out of the blue, a complete surprise.

it is not in my usual style, no rhymes, no rythm and lines of different length; it came about after a problem with my son who some time ago suffered from viral encephelitis and we were unsure wether we would lose him for several days.

But out of his suffering, I found that I could work out my own feelings of sorrow and almost utter helplessness to help him as I started writing this poem. I have only just finished typing it from my notebook, editing as I typed so it is still in a state of flux and may change but I wanted to post it as it stands because of what it means. Hope that you like it.


HELPLESS – by John Dyhouse


When someone you love
Hurts so very much
And nothing you do can ease the pain
You feel so very helpless

As youngsters a hug, or a kiss may help
But life can deal some tragic hands
Which can’t be thrown-in or the cards exchanged
Makes you feel simply helpless

Several days in critical care
In a coma on life support machines
What can you do, wait and pray
Feeling so alone and helpless

Thank god for the nurses and doctors
Battling to save the life of our son
Thinking the worst but hoping for more
You feel so uselessly helpless

In time the virus is beaten, the battle is won
And now we await for results
What damage will show as the patient awakes
Oh Life makes you feel so helpless

Good news, all motor skills still seem Ok
No physical side effects lurk
But as time passes will we start to see
A sting in a venomous tail

Tiredness, fatigue, those invisible foes
Make life a hard battleground
Anxious, depressed and nothing can help
You feel so achingly helpless

You feel the pain and see the tears
The struggles of everyday life
You offer your help but nothing’s enough
You’re just so saddened and helpless

Though life must go on and we learn to adapt
It doesn’t make living it easy
When people can’t see the pain in your heart
And don’t understand how their action can hurt
You feel so incredibly helpless