Alzheimer’s Lament

Right this moment, in this place,
Mother doesn’t know me, her daughter;
yet she is still glad to see me and talks gaily.
She is happy and cared for.

Right this moment, in this place,
Mother speaks, tells me of the daughter
who doesn’t come to see her.
She says she is happy here, and cared for.

Right this moment, in this place,
someone dresses her, names her garments,
reminds her how to know which room is hers.
She is happy and cared for.

She has someone to clean up her accidents,
converse in gibberish, calm her fears,
put her to bed,
keep her safe and fed.

Right this moment, in this place,
I feel hollow, my heart thumps inside my boney chest.
Mother is happy and cared for.
I hug her and walk away.

Georgia Greeley lives and works in Saint Paul. Her passion for combining words and images shows up as fine press broadsides, handmade artist’s books, and limited-edition fine press books. She has an MFA in writing from Hamline University and a BA in English and Art from St. Catherine University.

Art By:

Susan Solomon is a freelance paintress living in beautiful Saint Paul. She is the editor and founder of Sleet Magazine, an online literary journal. Susan’s first book, The Pond, a collaboration with poet Richard Jarrette, was published in 2019 with Green Writers Press.

Alzheimer’s Lament

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