Such tender, loving hands

(For Palliative Care Nursing Staff )

Such tender, loving hands
bathe and soothe, help to move
make comfortable
give pain relief
brush fragile wisps of hair
keep nightgowns fresh, pillows full of air
help to feed, tend personal need
forge pathways paved with gold
for the journey to silent lands…

Such tender, loving hands
comfort relatives and friends
who wait, watch, paralysed with fear and dread,
brew cups of tea, give advice for free,
placate, support, uphold…

These tender, loving hands
cared for my mother, with dignity, respect
preserved identity
kept her world intact
nurtured, counselled, enabled her to see
a vision of a future, where we could not be…

These tender, loving hands
created tranquillity and calm
shone a star on the windowsill of her home
where the front path was paved with gold.

Poem contributed by Catherine Doe.

Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash.