GOODNIGHT, MISTER WRIGHT
Haven’t seen you in a while,
But every thought of you
Still makes me smile
So when I go to bed tonight
I’ll still be sleeping to your right
And smiling as I say,
“Goodnight, Mister Spencer.”
“Goodnight” to Mr. Wright
The night I first moved in
Your greeting was a grin,
That grew as you drew back your curtain
We knew that our smiles were uncertain
Day by day, I listened,to caregiver(s)care you
As you begged not to be left alone
Then woke up to find that you were half blind
And facing this world all on your own
Well, not entirely,
I soon found out
When from down the hall
I heard a shout
So loud it could set off
Huge sound alarms
Instead it endeared you
As one of your charms
I really don’t know
How you got through the day
With so little to do
And so much to say
Especially to people
And things that weren’t there
That proved to me
You were special and rare
I hated to see you get wake-up calls
Only to get dressed and wheeled to the halls
Like so many others with hands in their laps
Heads lobbed on shoulders
For long wheelchair naps
You never seemed bothered
You saw nothing wrong
I guess when you’re Wright
You burst into song
Now I hear you’re headed Home
Having fought the vital fight
I won’t miss your screams and moans
But oh, those little lights
That twinkled in you eyes!
Every time you sang in the midnight hour
Or when you vanquished phantoms
With such verbal power
Mad as it made me after ten
I must admit I adore mad men
Who can entertain in their sleep and bray
While we mortals lie awake and wait and pray
For what?
That they settle down and sleep?
Or the wherewithall to withstand and keep
A man like Spence
Safe and happy through the night
Say goodnight to Mister Spencer
Goodnight to Mr. Wright
Written on January 4th, 2011 in loving memory for the Wright family by David Brunoehler
