Throwback Friday, Who’s Left to Row the Boat

Today’s Throwback Friday poem was originally written in August 2018. The story is about the occurrence of my first stroke on the 20th of September, 2000.



Who’s Left to Row the Boat

The storms are too many to count
Emotional lows had weathered me out
Her journey with MS was a struggle
How much lower could our lives sink

After fourteen years of our battles, I suffered a Stroke
An ambulance came, my brain was in a boat
Floating out to sea, overboard and panic-stricken
I wasn’t swimming, barely awake, and drifting
I had fallen, nothing was working, and not talking
She’s crying, I’m sobbing, my heart is dying
And who’s left to row the boat, I’m thinking
I was jabbed with a needle and silently sleeping

I awoke a day later, in hospital, feeling wasted
My face was limp, mouth parched, was that death I tasted
My mind was active, I thought, where is she
I knew I was bad; the room was all blurry to me
Strong anxieties had set in, I needed to know
Nurses came to me, I pleaded, I wanted to go
“Help me to see her, just give my bed a tow
Please let me go, before I’m covered in snow”










All Books. Now Available At:

Creative Geelong MAY’D Shop,
Shop 15/Centrepoint Arcade
132 Little Malop St, Geelong
TRADING HOURS
Thursday-Saturday
11am-3pm


Until Eyes Hear Sound

Lulu Books >>  Until Eyes Hear Sound (lulu.com)


Perceptions:

Amazon >>  Perceptions : Steven, Ivor, Knight, Derrick: Amazon.com.au: Books
Lulu Books >>  Perceptions (lulu.com)



Tullawalla:

Amazon >> Tullawalla A Meeting Place Where My Empty Hands are Full of Memories and Rhymes : Steven, Ivor: Amazon.com.au: Books



OR: >> You may email me directly for a signed copy at
ivorrs20@gmail.com





Ivor Steven (c) September 2024

Published by

Unknown's avatar

ivor20

G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer. I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.

35 thoughts on “Throwback Friday, Who’s Left to Row the Boat”

  6. Such a difficult painful time! 😦 I’m so grateful that you are still with us! 🙂
    This poem is a heart-toucher, Ivor! Thank you for sharing it.
    We must live each day to the fullest…finding the joys, or creating some. 🙂
    (((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  8. My heart is bursting while reading these words, Ivor. Even though my mind understands what you were going through at that time, my heart and soul cannot comprehend it. What a frightening and lonely time for you and Carole. Your words are magnificent and I can only imagine the incomparable joy you felt at being reconciled. Exceptional sharing of thoughts, words and music, my dear Ivor. ♡

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Oh, dear Nancy, thank you for your very gracious words … It took me years to put my recollections of the event down on paper … the visions of the trauma in Carole’s eyes, was always too much for me to put into words … 💕💓🖋🌏

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.