title: Lights and Shadows in a Nursing Home
author: Pat Durmon
description: Pat Durmon is a native of Arkansas. Prior to coming to poetry, she held two careers: first, as a high school English teacher and then, as a mental health counselor. One of her desires is to write inspiring poetry that helps others find rays of light in the midst of the human struggle. In 2007, Pudding House Publishing released Durmons chapbook Blind Curves. In that same year, she won the Sybil Nash Abrams Award presented by the Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas (PRA). She looks joyfully on life as she lives in the Ozark Mountains with her husband. There, she writes poetry, plays in a flower garden, manages a retreat center, and bakes bread.
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  # Home Lights and Shadows
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### T. S. Arthur
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  PREFACE.
  
  
  RIGHTS AND WRONGS.
  
  
  THE HUMBLED PHARISEE.
  
  
  ROMANCE AND REALITY.
  
  
  IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
  
  
  THE MOTHER'S PROMISE.
  
  
  THE TWO HUSBANDS.
  
  
  CHAPTER II.
  
  
  CHAPTER III.
  
  
  VISITING AS NEIGHBORS.
  
  
  NOT AT HOME.
  
  
  THE FATAL ERROR.
  
  
  FOLLOWING THE FASHIONS.
  
  
  A DOLLAR ON THE CONSCIENCE.
  
  
  AUNT MARY'S SUGGESTION.
  
  
  HELPING THE POOR.
  
  
  COMMON PEOPLE.
  
  
  MAKING A SENSATION.
  
  
  SOMETHING FOR A COLD.
  
  
  THE PORTRAIT.
  
  
  VERY POOR.
  
  
  
  
  
  
      
  
  
  This etext was created by Charles Aldarondo (Aldarondo@yahoo.com)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### PREFACE.
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  HOME! How at the word, a crowd of pleasant thoughts awaken. What
  
  
  sun-bright images are pictured to the imagination. Yet, there is no
  
  
  home without its shadows as well as sunshine. Love makes the
  
  
  home-lights and selfishness the shadows. Ah! how dark the shadow at
  
  
  times—how fai