Who will share my grief?
Who will share my sorrow?
The Government brought in a law,
and for us there was no tomorrows.
I searched for you Dear Dad,
I searched for you in vain
because of the "Data Protection Act",
we would never meet again!
I found out you had no visitors
for eight years whilst in care,
What I'd like to know Dear Dad,
"Is... who the the hell put you there!!!!?"
If the Government had given me
your address Dad,
I could have brought you home,
you died instead, in a hosptal bed,
transferred there from
an old people's home!
No one to sit by your bed,
as your journey came to an end,
The Government had there law
Written in black on white,
Blinkered eyes that failed to see
the difference between
wrong and right!
No one to hold your hand,
no one to kiss your brow
and because of the *Data Protection Act"
They refuse to say
where you are burried now!
Background Information.
My Mother and Father separated when I was five I lived with my mother, and had regular contact with my Dad. When I was 45 my daughter died, shortly after my mother died. I went to where my dad lived, he had moved.
My husband had a massive heart attack and died, was ressusitated. We moved, I continued to search for my dad until he would have been about 89. I then thought he would be dead and stopped looking. Two years ago I learned he died aged 94. He had been searching for me also.
I had my dad's three previous addresses.
His National Insurance Number.
His pension Book Number
The address his pension was paid from,
His Bank and Building Society Details
His Council Tax Book.
His works pension Details.
His Doctors Details.
My parents marriage certificate,
My Birth Certificate with my Father as the Informant on the Certificate.
I sent letters to the various departments enclosing an open envelope with my dads name on it. Inside was my address, for him, I asked the departments to seal the envelope after reading it was just a address, and to write his address on the envelope and drop it in the post. Then he could have contacted me. Everyone said they could not do it because of the "Data Proection Act"
Two years ago I was notified of my Fathers death. I have since received information that my father had been asking the Old Peoples home to help him to find me. I wept when I visited the home, there was a picture of my dad there, very frail, and in a wheelchair. On a daytrip at some seaside place with other elderly residents.
I asked if I could pay and get a copy of the photograph, the manageress said she was sorry she couldn't do that because of the Data Protection Act.
A contest entry
- A world gone mad by DolphinLass.
660 points, ended July 7, 11 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
We are people not statistics, each individual case should be judged on it's merit, what do you think?
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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This is a very moving poem Lady Mak. You are right about all the bureaucratic red tape. It can drive you round the bend. There are too many jobsworths.
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i am happy to share in anyone's grief, not for the sake of grief but to hopefully help those that grieve.
and sorrow too, where would we be without sharing our minds? we all live in sighs and smiles, to share is to feel a sense of belonging i think. family is important, that is shown constantly, blood ties even with those that do not know thier true parents, they search for them always. dsadly it is sometimes too late yes but tother times people find the connections in time before it is too late a good poem.
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Thank you for your your thoughtful comment on my poem, it is a very rewarding thread you have posted in the poetry forum.
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Thanks for the great heartfelt sad write, well expressed, and a sad situation that could've been avoided if commonsense was exercised by those in power to suit the individual situation and circumstances to ensure everyones best interests are foremount. Good luck in contest.
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THIS TOUCHES ME VERY DEEPLY!!!!
It is indeed so very sad as governments take over our lives and our privacy is no more. So many families have lost so much because the so-called higher powers do not care. Changes should and can be made if we band together and keep our resolve.
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Thank you for your very truthful comment, i agree with the things you have said, there is such a lack of caring.
I have found that if it involves a money issue, the government are very quick to act for financial gain, they are really on the ball as to speak.
When my Dad died he had some money in his Bank account, it was to be passed to the treasury. They could not pass it into the treasury until they did a search for my Dads next of kin, hence they looked for me.
Load of rubbish really where money mattered more than human feelings. I would have gladly have given up any amount of inheritence for just 2 minutes with him before he died .. still such is life...
Taxes, V.A.T. Inheritance Tax, wow!!! are they in front of themselves to collect money.
But as regards using common sense, well that's another issue.
I will be taking this issue to Parliament shortly, to try to get an ammendment made to the Data protection Act. I agree with everything you said, changes can be made if we peresrvere and don't tire out. Thank you for your encouraging comment.
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this is absolutely terrible, heartwrenching! (not the poem, the situation!) thank god jehovah's going to set everything straight!
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Yes I agree, there is so much red tape, that all we have become is a statistic. A number on a bit of paper with no feelings or considerations as to any given circumstances.
I too beleive that there is nothing that happens to us in this world, that God won't put right in the next. But I do really wish I could have found my Dad before he died.
Thank you for your kind and encourageing comment which I whole heartedly beleive...
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