You wake up, weary from living these 85 years

Your spine anchors you down, you struggle simply to get out of bed

Your body has betrayed you; it demands glasses to see, canes to walk, aids to hear

You keep your heart beating with a pile of pills, just waiting for peace when you are finally dead

Outside your room they all look the same

A room full of faces, a giant mirror staring back at you

Aged and tired, lonely and forgotten, hopeless: it's a shame

Generations have moved on without you

You are a memory now, an era in a history book

A black and white picture in a dusty album

You are just waiting for someone to come in and to look

into your eyes and to tell you that you matter to them

What's this? You see a face illuminated with hope in the sea of bland

A beaming smile,skin smooth with the radiance of youth

The girl reaches out her hand

"Will you come spend time with the BRIDGe club Mr. Ruth?

High school students to show that they care

Spend time with the elderly, it's amazing and rare

Devoted and generous, eager to serve

They come once a month to give what the elders deserve

It's a beautiful thing when

loneliness ends and friendship begins

The laughter shared brings color to the building

It's contagious the joy that the youth bring

Students absorb the life lessons the elderly give

They won't forget your story as long as they live

As simple as a craft being made

New hands help the wrinkled ones to cut, draw, and braid

So much excitement playing games with the students this week

You can't wait until next month to get the friendship you seek

When the youth leave the joy lingers around

Next month there will be more fun to abound

Building Relationships Involving Diverse GEnerations

This club I founded this year, it's my own creation

BRIDGe club provides the elderly with visitation

Students see the importance of the older generation

To all it has been a great inspiration

Memories are made, joy is spread, wisdom is gained, loneliness ends

I think this makes me FLAWLESS, now on you I depend