One More Moment

For the suffers of Alzheimer's and their families.

I watch you fade

before my eyes

into a world

that I cannot see

into a place

where I cannot follow you

 

Once you were mine

once your eyes saw me

loved me

but now you are

an empty shell

 

Drowning

in a sea of forgetfulness

you sink

into the depths of despair

I reach for you

try to save you

to bring you home

but your fingers slip

from my grasp

 

I cry out in pain

as day by day

I watch you leave me 

Once you were whole

but now

only fragments remain

Like slivers of light

small particles

of the person I once knew

shine from your eyes

briefly

allowing me to see

the one I loved

who loved and adored me

 

For brief moments

encapsulated

in time and space

you come back to me  

Hope erupts in my heart

but then 

just as suddenly

you are gone

stolen from me once more

by a disease

that is out of our control

that has claimed you

as its own

 

I call out your name

and with blank eyes

you stare at me

Once the most loved

of your heart

now I am but a stranger

in your midst

You ask me who I am

what I want from you

with fear and trembling

in your voice

and my heart breaks

for the thousandth time

since you started

to slip away

 

Once I believed

that you would come back to me

that you would remember me once more

hold me in your arms

tell me that you loved me

But now hope falls from me

in waves of sadness

as I watch you slowly disappear

vanish into a world

beyond my ability

to see or understand

 

All that is left now

is the waiting

Unable to fight that

which I cannot see

I know I must let you go

release you

into the hands of eternity

where at last your soul

can be free

 

Yet stubborn

defiant

I hang on

Whilst there is still blood flowing

through your veins

there is still the chance

that for a brief moment

you will return to me

that for a split second in time

you will once again be mine

 

And this

is what I wait for

Not for the end

but for the hope

of a moment

Just a single fleeting moment

where you will once again

remember my name

Where love will once again

shine in your eyes

where you will once again

occupy

the empty space

that now resides

within your flesh

 

I wait

as the last vestures of hope

cling desperately to my heart

Though my strength begins to wane

and the sorrow of my heart

overwhelms my soul

still I wait

just for a moment

for one last chance to see you

to tell you that I love you

to hold you in my arms

For a moment

that is more precious than gold

For a moment

that I will treasure forever

for one more moment

with you

I wait

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I understand the poem. The heart is the last to understand. Always a desire for a second dance in the emotion of love. I could feel the yearning and hope fade away in the poem. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you so much

[Night]

...deep, heartfelt, an "all to real" write.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed.

[Night]

...I feel for the elderly who have to go through this...what a horrible thing to experience...losing ones self to the abyss of nothingness..a void in their existence as a human being...tragic.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Yes it is and so very sad to see someone you love drift away from you too

[Night]

...and by the way, it's the heart that speaks the words that make us feel all things in life, with that being said...I think your writing is exceptional...I wouldn't change a thing.:)

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you so much :)

[Matthew]

I hate to say this because it is obviously an emotional piece, but what makes it different? What makes it special?

Give me something to remember next week when i'm eating my morning toast and think "Damn I love literature"

[Carolann Dowsett]

Ok thanks for that sorry to disappoint you.

[Matthew]

Don't be sorry I'm not disappointed. I didn't say it was a bad write. It's just that some poems need a stinger to entertain the heartless sinics of the web. Which i humbly admit to being one, and it is very hard to impress a sinic

[Carolann Dowsett]

Ok, um though who said I was trying to impress you, or anyone for that matter :) I write what I feel, I pour out my soul and my pain onto the page. If that is not impressive enough then so be it.

[Matthew]

We post writings on the internet for other people to read and enjoy. We write in journals to pour our hearts out.

Charles Bukowski said that a rule of poetry is not to assume you are the only one that suffers

P.s. Sorry if im coming of as an a*s, that's not my intention. People don't offer advise if they don't believe in you.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Well I'm sorry that you don't enjoy my work. You don't have to read it there is a lot of talent on this site. I'm sure you'll find enough else where to entertain you.

[Matthew]

I don't have to, but I will still choose to read it.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Ok

[Jordan's Back]

Another poet also said, "Their is no bad poem, just bad readers, for the written verse although not speaking to one, may speak volumes to another" Maybe the sittuation is the piece isnt meant for you, Who gives a damn for one you enjoy your toast while being a cynic (you cant even spell) and you do appear pompous, I have read some of your work, and They didn't interest me, so I didn't review, how about you return others the courtesy instead of bashing the musings of ones soul. Poetry isn't always written for ones enjoyment, thats why its so versatile. and your opinion of why people write on websites, are skewed narrow minded and and quite stereotypical of you. How about you get a group of people to tickle your ears, and leave the others alone. Your piece is beautiful Carolanne Its this Asses heart that flawed.

[Matthew]

Whoa. Now do those harsh words make you any better than me? I was sent a request to read it, so I figured Carolanne wanted my input. I considered it constructive criticism. It's not fact it's merely my opinion. I think bashing is the wrong term. I didn't use negative words like pompous, narrow minded, flawed, a*s. Maybe I was challenging her to be a better writer, which is much more helpful than giving useless praise. Maybe you should challenge me to be a better writer? Nobody grows strong without walking through the fire.

[Jordan's Back]

I speak my mind and I speak my piece, again your right, I just thought I would light a fire and see if you would be strengthened in the realm of tact.

[Matthew]

I agree it wasn't very tactful of me. Though i still stand by my belief. And lets leave it at that because i can obviously see that we are different personalities. Which is the beauty of humanity.

[Jordan's Back]

That my friend we can agree on, again I also apologies for my candor.

[Matthew]

No offense taken. I don't think anyone should apologize for speaking their mind. I think the main problem with the world is that people don't stand up for what they believe in.

[Jordan's Back]

Have a good day

[Clockwork]

I think back to the time when my great grandmother suffered through this crippling disease, and I remember these feelings very well. You hit on every feeling so well. The pain of watching the deterioration, remembering how the beloved person was, and hoping for that precious moment.

I thank you for sharing this piece. It says a lot that you have the courage to write about an event that is filled with such a degree of pain and complexity. You have done it very well.

These lines really stayed with me. I think you really captured what it is like watching someone slip away:

"Like slivers of light
small particles
of the person I once knew"

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you so much. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

[Clockwork]

You are very welcome.

[Overrated-World]

That it an amazing poem Carolann,
Very uplifting and deep. Takes me to a different world. I can get attached very easily to your poems. Keep up the good work.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you so much.

[Frieda P]

Alzheimer's is not only difficult for the person afflicted but for those loved ones around who miss their remembrances so deeply. Very moving read.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you

[Nithin Purple]

Too cool. ur poems are nice

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you :)

[Love Well Spent]

A sad poem, but one that I enjoyed reading! My favorite lines were, "Once you were whole but now only fragments remain
Like slivers of light, small particles of the person I once knew shine from your eyes."
Very deep and emotional. Well done!

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you :)

[Aly]

Carolann I love this!
Your such a beautiful writer

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you Aly :)

[Geon Quuin]

I really like this one. I've always enjoyed your pieces, but this is the first time I am so moved I had to write a review. Thank you for writing this.

[Carolann Dowsett]

Thank you for reviewing :) I'm glad it moved you.