“I am useless!” she said,
The tears flowing down her face.
“I can’t do anything, can’t do anything for you”
She shouted through the tears.
These were the words that came to me
As I came into the room.
My wonderful wife
Sitting there in abject misery,
Her body was so weakened
That walking across the room
Was an effort.
Whose mind was losing to dementia.
These times of clarity brought home to her
An awful truth,
“Do you still love me?
Are you going to leave me?”
Were the questions
That kept hurting me.
I tell her I love he,r
I tell her I will always be with her,
But her mind cannot accept this.
She is scared,
Scared that I may go,
But in my mind
There is only one thing that I can do,
All I can do,
Is love her more.
-
Author:
Goldfinch60 (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: September 14th, 2017 01:03
- Comment from author about the poem: Yesterday my wife and I attended a seminar on dementia, it was part of a national survey to get views from sufferers and carers on how the National Health Service (in the UK) was performing in helping this invidious problem. The sufferers and carers were separated into two groups to get the views from each section. It was a very positive outcome and the one thing that come to me as a carer is that the sufferers all had different types dementia problems - it is a vast area of illness. At the end of the session I asked them if I could read this poem to them, they agreed. When I had finished they were all in tears and the lady who was leading the session from the NHS asked for a copy of it, which of course I gave to her.
- Category: Sad
- Views: 200
- Users favorite of this poem: WL Schuett, dusk arising, malubotelho.
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Comments14
Reading your poem and the accompanying comments made me well up too. To have your poem 'adopted' by the healthcare professionals is an accolade so well deserved for a moving and beautiful write.
Thank you Michael, she was very moved by the poem.
Reading this with sunrise in my eyes
As a tear falls down from your words
I thank you for a humble start to my day.
May the this day pass blissfully for you both.
Thank you so much Dan your words will make my day a good one.
Terrible for you both. I wish you only the best in weathering it.
We WILL get through each day as it comes. Thank you Frank.
It's not the first time a poem of yours triggers something in me - some feeling, and then I shed a tear or two. Even some lesser emotive themes and experiences. Thinking of you both. Love wins through somehow, some way. Anyone can just SAY that, but not the same as living through it.
Also, I was struck reading a bit of Revelation lately. It says a time will come with no more mourning, death, crying, or pain. In that time those things are called 'former things'. Meanwhile they remain, as we all know. Those sort of verses inspire me to some of my most, well, inspirational, poetry. Not that ALL of the present life is as a vale of tears though.
Revelation is a revelation to us who believe.
Reading your incredible poem, Goldfinch, made me think of my dad's best friend. For years, after he could not care for her anymore at home, he visited his wife who had Alzheimers, every day, fed her, stayed with her, read to her, even though eventually she did not recognize him anymore. We all have to be prepared to be in the same position one day, and your poem, even though it did bring tears to my eyes, also gave me a lot of hope. It is like a beacon of light in a dark place!
You are very kind Fred, I write what I feel most of the time.
Bless you brother you're a good man , keep being strong I know you love her it's very evident.... beautiful poem too
Thank you so very much for your kind comments WL. My love for her will never waver.
Wow, where do I even begin, Awesome write
Thank you Tony, you are most kind.
Welcome
There's no real way to quantify poetry but having read this I can say, this is the closest thing to the true heart and beauty that poetry intends on conveying. Honest read with meaning and emotion. I feel it all and I wish you all the best. I hope you find the beauty in the path you will both be walking together.
Thank you so much, we will find our way into eternity.
There are so many diseases far beyond the reach of today's medicine, while love is the only hope for all the suffer.
Your love is the best support for your wife.
Very touching poem. Well done.
Thank you M and M, that love will always be there.
WOW ANDY ~ Thanks for reminding us of the heartache you bear because of your Dear Wife's Condition. It is so so sad My Dad 65 and my Mum 60 are still hanging in mentally but mnobility for my Dad is getting worse. I attended a Church reunion recently an it was sad to see friend of 70+ incapacitated and not even recognizing me As you say at the end of your poignant POEM ~ Love and more Love is the answer ~ AMEN ~ Yours BRIAN Thanks for Clair de Lune a family favorite !
Thank you Brian.
God has shown you what love is my friend. Real unconditional love is what you are telling us here i think. Very moving writing, from your heart, and affects one and all who read your words here. Saved to favourites.
Thank you so much DA, much appreciated.
This was a beautiful, I'm speechless, I only look at you with more respect with each poem you write. Simply wondeful.
You are so kind PB, thank you so much.
Very touching write. I'm happy to know you still love her and taking care of her. I have cases like this on my family but they were not so luck. Sending love for you two. God bless your heart.
I will be with her forever Mal. Thank you for your comment.
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