This time, last year

This time, last year

his mind,

the sharpness of

colors in contrast

crimson on downy white

turned

to all white,

like a blank page

he knew not how to fill

with words

a poem on his lips

but they wouldn't move

his eyes searching for those colors

as they assessed what life there was left

in them,

he saw me

he knew me,

sort of

acknowledged me proudly

then stared out the window

at his nothing world.

erin-cilberto

3/15/22

Reviews

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Wow Jacob, so many ways to interpret this. The first thing that comes to mind is a father disappointed in his son for not following in his footsteps.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your take on this, Cowboy,
j.

[M. J. Smith]

What comes to mind is that jumbled up mess that was my highschool career. The awkward first crush, the bullies, never quite fitting in. Well written, J.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

interesting, I like your interpretation....thank you, M.J.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

As human beings , we have to contend with many difficulties and losses. Alzheimer's disease is a hard pillow to swallow for all involved. We need to wage wars on diseases instead on each other except of course in self defense and alleviating evil. I think the poet is saddened by the condition experienced by his father perhaps, a dear friend....

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Sami,
j.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome sir Jacob.

[Patricia Wedel]

dearest Jacob... it is very difficult to experience the
loss of cognizance. I do not cry easily these days; however,
someone close to me is touching the brink. That someone has always been brilliant and retained so many things.. and now almost in a blink of an eye... there is confusion. I feel the loss and pray that it is only a passing mood or reaction to perhaps Meds... can it be reversed... perhaps in some cases. Life can be "mysterious". Quite a Poem that leaves me... wanting to plant Gladiolas bulbs and see their Beauty as they grow. gently, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your understanding review, Pat,
j.

[Lisasview]

Your words dear Jacob really affected me..When we are children not many of us experience or even know that when we are older friends and family may lose the colors of their lives....
Then out of the blue, or so it seems, many of us are saddened by the lose of the colors in our friends or families..
When this happened to my mother (age 85) and she stared out of the window, I often wondered what she was thinking..because although it appeared that she was looking at her nothing world, I knew that somewhere in there she must be thinking of something..or, am I crazy to think that??
We are our own constant companion...(Title for a new poem I am working on) and, so perhaps the ones that have lost their color are content to be ...just to be...
Lisa

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I think somewhere in there, they are all thinking of something...absolutely true.
thank you for your understanding review, Lisa,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Sad poem J. This reads to me like a visit to a very dear, poet friend who has had all the colour taken from his world. Maybe someone losing their mind, in a state of decline. He knew you though and was pleased to know you. Aging sucks. Yes it does.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Chris,
j.