Image: Alertness of the Aged (here)
MLMM's given words:
visage (the face) defunct broken bowl
curdle (to turn bad to go wrong
paper tiger (has appearance of strength but ineffectual)
altruism (unselfish concern for the welfare of others)
draught partition
anabiosis (bringing back to conscious, reanimation after apparent death)
twinge
Saddened visage of appearance
Taut piercing
Defunct of intuition but determined
An underlying wit still apparent
Can an aged being still matter?
Broken bowled over with exhaustion
Curdled into inaction
A paper tiger garbed in pretenses
Hey! What’s the problem?
Acts of altruism in younger days
Accentuated the draught
draining much of his strength
That perhaps wedged a partition
on his being
It wore him off!
But mentally he was steadfast
That certainly was a consolation
Moving with alertness of that age
of decades ago
None of the anabiosis
Frightening just to think about it
The advent of memory loss
Of non recognition
Not even a twinge of a smile
Even of loved ones
No, not just yet
Gaunt that he was
Dementia still held off!
What a bad word
Dementia!
No not to toy with it
Don’t ever mention the word
Sacrilege!
Or mental facilities stay strong no matter the age, except for that awful fate. can't even imagine getting that.
ReplyDeleteWOW! You took me inside the figure I avoid in teh halls of the old folks home. I especially like this gateway to thedepth of the rest:
ReplyDelete"Can an aged being still matter?
Broken bowled over with exhaustion
Curdled into inaction
A paper tiger garbed in pretenses"
Dementia is so sad when you are the care giver. I can't even imagine how it is for the one suffering.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very sad thing indeed. Your poem speaks so well of the very pain of it.
ReplyDeleteThere is much to be read in the face of an aged person. Your imagination has enabled us to see this face as representative of the person behind it. Something we should never forget in our daily lives.
ReplyDeleteIf he still has his mind, that is what matters. Because to lose it while you are still here is a scary and sad thought.
ReplyDeleteA very sad and thought provoking post Hank.
ReplyDeletethis is a soul searching poem, luv your empathy for the aged and the aging process
ReplyDeletethank you for dropping by Monday WRites
much love...
can an aged being matter...i think so...we should never dismiss
ReplyDeletethe wisdom of our elders...they have much to teach, and us to listen...
So sad being ignored because of age.. even worse when it's too lat because of dementia.
ReplyDeletehola Hank, age was on my mind too
ReplyDeleteThey hold much wisdom
ReplyDeleteOne of the saddest things in the world to witness...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Susan those are the very lines I'd quote, a beautiful and engaging portrait. Top notch Hank!
ReplyDeleteYves aka mindlovemisery
everyone matters… no matter what age, stage in the journey…. I watched my grandmother suffer through alzheimers and everyone around her too… and now my own friends are going through this with their parents, and one day it will be some of us… may there be compassionate people to care for us too.
ReplyDeleteI have lived the pain of this poem..my mother had Alzheimer's. I watched her forget.
ReplyDeleteSorry to leave my response here. If you don't mind sharing your email, I will tell you why Dad was afraid.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by. I keep forgetting...I like your art style too.
A moving reflection.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so good to think about, aging. But whether we like it or not we will. In part how bad it will be may be dependent upon when and how fast dementia sets in.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that for me is that I cannot remember faces (there is a name for this). That malady may go along with me not being able to visualize. I could never see any sheep to count while going to sleep.
..
Not even a twinge of a smile…. that's got to be the worst, the memories gone…
ReplyDeleteMemories are very precious to us.. I pray that I never lose them in my old age. I can't imagine the devastating affects of dementia. I know it's hard to see our loved ones suffer and it hurts that they can't always remember our names or who we are and why we love them so much, but the hardest thing is trying to imagine what they feel inside.. The emptiness they must feel inside.. It's heartbreaking. You have us quite a glimpse into their mind here Hank while also reminding us how important it is to cherish our memories and even writing them down so that they may never be forgotten.
ReplyDelete