7 Comments
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Rebecca D. Martin's avatar

Such a beautiful poem, Kellie. Its simplicity and directness, and those two rhythmic, rhyming lines at the end of each stanza.

From Rebecca Solnit's The Faraway Nearby: "They say that Alzheimer's mimics childhood run in reverse, but children's voracious minds are seizing on the knowledge that's disintegrating at the other end of life, and the conditions are as dissimilar as gaining and losing."

Kellie Brown's avatar

Thank you, my friend. And wow, that Solnit quote really speaks into that and reveals even further the common starting point (childlike) but the disparate endpoint. 😭

Kim Hardy's avatar

I love this poem, Kellie. My Mom hated watching us watching her. She knew how hard it was for us to see her fade away.

Kellie Brown's avatar

Thank you, Kim. I'm sorry you went through this with your mom.

PresentWordTravels-by Sammi 静辰's avatar

The return and a new beginning. Your poem moved me—simple, yet deeply profound. My 89-year-old mother lived with dementia and passed away last November. Sending love.

Kellie Brown's avatar

Thank you for your comments, Sammi. I’m sorry about your mother. That is hard. Sending love to you as well.

Julie Fann's avatar

Decline is so difficult to watch.. Thank you for sharing.