a Benjamin Button Moment

a Benjamin Button Moment 

 

 

 

spittle slipping down a beard's slope

shaky fork, 

mouth 

missing target

hunger lashes out

 

drink spills in suspended acronym

for some condition of aging

 

a once Father who held a spoon

to an infant's eager lips

now as an infant reincarnation

he waits to be held

 

waits for the morsel to reach

his moribund heart

 

and i shed a drop 

for not being God

for not being able to reverse

his years,

 

to be held in his arms once again

virile eyes smiling gently at me

as i receive the spoonful of love

 

and then fall asleep

knowing i am safe once again.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

11/8/19

Reviews

[Gee]

Such a lovely, loving write in which your love for your dad shines brightly. It is so sad that memories of our departed parents are at first sad ones due to their physical and mental deterioration. Luckily this, as time passes, is far outweighed by all of the good memories.
Beautifully put across Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for understanding and for your kind words, Gee,
j.

[Gee]

You're most welcome

[Dave Brown]

How true this is, whoever arranged the aging process did a terrible job
My Mother's demise was just cruel
A moving write

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Dave...it is the toughest thing to watch..
j.

[kentuck14]

In the last 5 months of my father's 96 &1/2 years I saw him go from the strong man I knew to a stranger who insisted he bought me a new Buick and lived in the house across the road from the nursing home. The home wasn't even in his town. Already I feel the strains of aging. . . both physical and mental.
I sense your heart in this piece . . . the longing to reverse time and enjoy parental love again. Many of my thoughts turn to my childhood and my mother and father's love. I think part of aging is the return to their arms . . . if only in our mind.
T

[jacob erin-cilberto]

exactly, T.
you understand....
my dad was almost 98 when he passed...my last visit with him...he knew me....soon after he would not have.
he was a tough old bird.
j.

[kentuck14]

to live into one's 90"s you gotta be a tough old bird!

[Desert Knave]

I recall the last years of my Grandmother's life as dementia took her from us long before death did. This write touched a chord for sure. Nicely done. ~Jim

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Jim....i appreciate your kind and understanding words.
j.

[Lorry]

I havent seen that movie Jacob, but have sadly seen the reversal of adult and child, in the most excruciating detail.
A cruel end to an incredible journey, as well as a defining moment to the younger, who now understands what being a grown up is. Sadly it is usually a secret burden, one that you do not wish to think about, never mind letting it cross your lips.
Can our hearts and minds feel any heavier than when they fitfully sleep and we get to breathe out again?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and he was once so strong and sharp and protective of the rest of us...hard to see that disintegrate...
thank you, Lorry,
j.

[Lorry]

Ive been watching my language lately, but i think the term mindfuck is appropriate in this case.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes..........

[andrew mitchell]

Depths of sadness here and if i remember correctly the movie on Ben was sad too! Its been awhile.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it was...thank you for your words, andrew,
j.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

When words fall silent and emotions bloom,
a heartbeat passes from son to father …

Your pain, like rain, fills the soul.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for the kind words, Linda,
j.

[JenniferMarie]

beautiful work Jacob. I loved the way this poem blossomed, for me, it began to bloom in the 4th stanza.

“As I received a spoonful of love”

Beautiful writing

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, JenniferMarie,
j.

[JenniferMarie]

You're welcome :)

[Lydia Shutter]

How sad this image is....how heartbreaking for not only the older man, but for the son. So very emotional, Jacob. Images of our parents as they slip away are never far from our thoughts. Sometimes I wonder if that is because we know we will be there one day...but I hope it is because we loved them so. Moving and touching, your words are great here. Lydi**

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, Lydi,
j.

[barleygirl]

My Gawd! Your poem just reaches down & messes up the gut! Sheesh! I've not seen anyone pack this much feeling into a poem lately in a long while. This is the thing I envy the most about poets like you & many others here at the cafe . . . this being able to reach down deep, over & over, to bring out so much clarity about how a thing really deeply feels . . . amazing! I'm so envious! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you again for your very kind and encouraging review, Margie.
j.