A bit of war poetry
read by featured poets
Brought it back to me
that night on the floor
Each of you with the same pursed lips
mother and daughter, roles reversed,
She with worried angry eyes
you with wild in yours
Out of place without him, Grampa,
in your dining room, center of family activity
(after the kitchen)
Now your bedroom
I started from sleep, upstairs
I heard her call for help
Because you wouldn’t bend to her will
Not letting her assist you that time
I struggled behind you
I caught your limp thinning arms
under the pits, forcing both of us up
Pull of my back against your dead weight
Putting you back to bed,
your red splotched arms
loose skin and anger
The loss you were fighting
Your dignity, independence,
your mind slipping away
Knowing even in the losing
What was being lost
She brushed her hand now
against your brow, your hair
After the struggle, sliding in beside you in bed,
Where he had been for those years
In the room with the wallpaper he hung,
with the creaking boards and corner hunch
Where we all shared so much
Seven children, spouses, countless children
Fifty of us on one Thanksgiving alone
Seeing you there, labored breath
seeing it so clearly in your eyes
Unease, knowing a piece of the terror
When you had snapped your face to mine
When I was on the floor behind you
Struggling to help you
helping you maintain your pride
on the dining room floor.
----
edited
March 13, 2015
Struggle
– v3
edited
November 27, 2014
Struggle
– v2
Thanksgiving
Day
August
18, 2004 21:53
Struggle
All
of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray
Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 48,100 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
Alzheimers,
child, Family, giving, God, hands, Poetry Where You Live, senses, sharing,
Thanksgiving, Writing Poetry, America, memories, mother, daughter, struggle, dementia
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