Last Rally

for over six years

mum's decline was mourned

as she sat daily in her blue

high back bedside chair

.

as she slowly parachuted

into the inevitable hell

of no man's land and

and its unfriendly ghosts

.

places unrecognised

memories erased

her green eyes lifeless

her warm smile absent

.

until that last memorable visit

before freedom's call

when she rallied

surprisingly

.

for a precious hour

she came back to me

as i held her hand

totally in tune

.

singing from an old

maternal song sheet

mother and child

reunion

.

a gift before

she slipped away

into the arms of eternity

and no return

Reviews

[lightsong]

Always when You write about your mom You write with pure love, with warmth and kindness. with true and sincere emotions. I am really happy that You and she could share that precious moment of closeness before she passed away. May she rests in peace and shine her light upon You my dear. moving words.

[Chris Shaw]

Those moments of clarity, where there had been none for sometime were a gift I will always treasure. She told me my brother who died seven years ago had visited her and would come again. I believed her. Such special moments. Thank you dear lightsong for gracing my page and allowing me to share my mum.

Chris

[lightsong]

Yes my dear, this clarity You are expressing is the truth. she was telling the truth and in your heart you felt it. You are a true treasure of a Daughter. Bless You✨

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you :)

[Coyote Poetry]

The last moments we spend with our love ones. Never forgotten.
"singing from an old
maternal song sheet
mother and child
reunion"
I do understand the above lines. Thank you dear Chris for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

I appreciate you. Thank you for stopping by. Yes those last moments are precious to me.

read moreI appreciate you. Thank you for stopping by. Yes those last moments are precious to me.

Chris

[Fran Marie]

Oh Chris this is so beautifully
penned in remembrance
of your mother so tender
are the words of this sentimental
piece ..soft flowing verse from
the heart;
"singing from an old
maternal song sheet "
Lovely poem

[Chris Shaw]

Many thank yous Fran for your lovely review. Have a good week.

Chris

[Soren]

A touching episode that most of us have to go through. Hopefully as well as you. A last rally is what we all hope for, something to give us resolution.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Soten for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your visit.

Chris

[andrew mitchell]

Great writing Chris from the heart. Some bonds are not meant to be broken and live on regardless of loved ones passing.

[Chris Shaw]

You are so right Andrew and I thank you for stopping by to review these words of mine.

Chris

[William Michael Reeves]

Nice song of life and death. When the end is long in coming it seems it already had happened. Death's deja vu?

[Chris Shaw]

It certainly was a long time coming. I feel my mum is at peace at last. She didn't have that in her final years. Appreciate your thoughts here Bill. Thank you.

Chris

[DIVYA]

This is so amazing, dear Chris. It convinced me of a greater power above us. The rallying is often a sign of the end. Like a lamp that flickers brightly before it gets extinguished. It's wonderful how you connected with her before she passed to the next realm. I pray your precious mother has peace, love and light around her.

[Chris Shaw]

It was a gift and so unexpected and unexplained dear DIVYA. The following morning when my sisters visited, that brief lucidity had gone. My mum also told me that my brother Steve who died seven years ago had visited her and that he told her he would return. She was happy in those moments and peaceful. I will treasure that visit, it will stay with me. Thank you for your valued reviews.

Chris

[Gee]

How lovely that your mum left as her and not the shell of the previous six years.
So sad to read Christine.
Hope you are well :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Gee.This was a week before my mum died. The last time I was with her when she was conscious. I can't explain it, she asked me for a cup of tea and then started to engage in conversation. Asking about family. For a whole hour she was more like her old self. The following day, it had gone. It was a gift anf I am so thankful for it. I am also thankful to you for your response.

Chris

[Gee]

It is lovely that you had her back even if only for a brief time :))

[John the Baptist]

I don't recall any of the dementia patients I worked with having a period of lucidity like the one described here. They stayed permanently in the spaces to which their damaged brain cells led them. To read of a "last rally" is very moving and hope inspiring. Perhaps medical science will one day show how to make these resurrections more regular.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello John. I can't explain it either but my last visit to her while she was conscious, a week before she died.was a gift. I can't explain it. I see Jacob had similar with his Dad. Totally responsive and asking questions and she asked for a cup of tea when she hadn't been drinking for days. It was like a lifting of a veil, so precious. Thank you for your visit. There are many things we don't understand.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and at least you had that last moment that was Really with her....as I had had with my dad.
definitely a gift. This is really touching.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

So pleased you had that too J. It was like the brief lifting of a veil and such a gift to have the last time I was with her when she was conscious. Thank you my friend.

Chris

[Relic]

I know the feeling. I was talking to someone today and she said her aunt died of dementia. In her final weeks she would sit in the bathtub with toys. Her mind regressed until the end.

Like I did, her family told her it was okay to go which she did within a half-hour later. Sometimes they just need to hear it.

So sorry, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Tim. I need to write these poems about her to honour her memory and to help my grief. My last visit to her while she was conscious was a gift. There was a brief lucid spell and I can't tell you how thankful I was for that. A small miracle in my eyes. Seems Jacob had a similar experience with his Dad.

Chris