Stranger at My Door (poem) by Bernice Angoh on AuthorsDen

Reviewed by Deborah Munson (Reader)

Reviewed on June 28, 2008

Bernice, I helped take care of my grandmother for 5 years and she died at home with her family surrounding her. The greatest miracle was that she had Alzhiemers and several years before she passed she thought she lived in a hotel and that we were maids. She didn't remember us at all. 5 days before she died she sat up (we have pictures) and she started praising God. Than she proceeded to bless her children by name, than each grandchild than each great grandchild. She didn't even know some of their names and she said everyone and admonished us to serve and love God with all our hearts. After that she laid down and went into a coma. We were stunned and in tears. You penned well that which those go through with this disease. We do serve an awesome God do we not? Well Done! Deborah

Reviewed by Victoria's Poetry & Voices of Muse

Reviewed on June 18, 2008

Bernice,
This is poetic write is definelty through the eyes & heart & voice of Alzhiemers! If they could they would saY THIS!! I just get goose bumps how you hit home to my heart with your poetry & all the emotions
This is a wonderful & evoking write
Much Love & Hugs
Embraced ~ Embrass�
Vickie

Reviewed by Amber Moonstone

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

Such a powerful poem you have written. This disease is so often misunderstood. It happens to way too many people. Your poem brings the depth of the disease right to the foreground and in terms that people can understand. Nicely written Bernice..
Peace, love, and light,
Amber "V"

Reviewed by OnepoetGem *the Poetic Rapper

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

Bernice my mother has this problem, she's in an assitant living facility, you covered this very well by making somewhat of a story out of it, (one question, did you forget, I'm still waiting?) just joking I think, I forgot what I was joking about. huggaroos :-)

Reviewed by Rose Rideout

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

I wrote a poem a while back and it is called "Hello My Name Is ?" and I do know people personally that suffer with this terrible disease and it tears at my heart to see not only them but their family suffer. Thank you for caring Bernice.

Newfie Hugs, Rose

Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

Alzheimers: a cruel and unforgiving condition; God help those who have it and especially those who take care of them!! Powerful, heartbreaking write; brava!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :( >tears! <

Reviewed by Liana Margiva

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

VERY NICE!!!!!!!!! Liana Margiva

Reviewed by Dawn Anderson

Reviewed on June 17, 2008

Powerful writing of a devastating illness, Bernice, that you have captured so well.

Reviewed by Shedding Light

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

I really love the ability that you have to bring your experiences into your poetry.

Harold M. Nash

Reviewed by Karen Palumbo

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

You have captured the moment well and yes, it is a horrible, debilitating disease robbing one of all they once knew, leaving them a blank slate with no life at all. My parents died in part from this deadly disease and in the end never recognized any of us, we were strangers and it was very heartbreaking....

Be always safe,
Karen

Reviewed by Michelle Kidwell Power In The Pen

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Powerful write, my Grandmother suffered from Dementia in the end, it was scary
God Bless
Michelle~

Reviewed by Charlie

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

You really crawled inside of her head with this one. I think you captured the fright and confusion that comes with that terrible disease. --Charlie

Reviewed by John E Boak (Reader)

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

very touching...very vivid description of how it is that this ailment can slowly creep in until a person is not there anymore.... i have no personal experience being with anyone suffereing from alzheimer's but I know how devastating it could be based on what I have read from medical journals....and by reading your poem i have felt it....great write!
John E.

Reviewed by Felix Perry

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Sad but so real write Bernice. This disease is one of the most painful there is not only for the sufferer but for the ones that love them. My mother in law who lived with us for over twenty years came down with it in her later years and it was very much as you captured. It takes a lot of love and patience to stand by someone you love who has this devastating disease.

Fee

Reviewed by E T Waldron

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Bernice having cared for an Alzheimers patient, I'm awed by your capture of their plight! It is to me the worst of all miseries
to have a vacant mind that cannot retain what it takes in. So very sad! Bless you,for caring!ET

Reviewed by Barbara Smith

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Bernice, as I read this, it brought tears to my eyes for my Dad died of Alzheimers. They live in their own world without any communication. Dad's expressionless face still haunts me for it robbed him of his fantastic smile.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Price

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

I think I understand more about Alzheimers now. You perfectly paced and revealed what was going on in this womans mind and how time, no big deal was the only constant for her. Beyond brilliant. Liz

Reviewed by William Bonilla

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

This write is a masterpiece, you have composed
Thank you for sharing
I try discribing It in some of my writes
From personal experience from observing my dear Mother
Go through several years of her last moments of life
Fighting those same stangers, "her loving children"
I knew there was no remedy, so I try humoring her with charm
as I danced with her, she would smile, not knowing
that she never danced before, but at those moments she was enjoying her self smiling and laughing.

now I observe a friend who is going through it,
medicated most of the time, for he could be dangerous
a big strong man he is, so far a gentleman as he is known within our social circle. when he's introduced to someone, he'll ask that person his/her name every ten minutes.
Peace & Love Be with you

William

Reviewed by Richard Cederberg

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

This is a tremendously thought out metaphor Bernice. Your grasp of this heinous and debilitating disease is impressive and touchs the heart. There it is about your work - you always seem to touch the heart with your insights.
Blessings ...

Reviewed by Gene Williamson

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

I guess most of us have been through this...on the outside.
But because of your art, Bernice, we have have seen the inside,
knowing there is nothing we can do to ease the pain. - gene

Reviewed by Georg Mateos

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

We know they feel pain, cold, frightness and disorientation, and we are told that they don't undertand, think or reason.
Anybody of those "they" had Alzheimers and came out of it so he/she can tell us blatant that they are zombies? or are they poor souls trapped in a sick prison, hearing and understanding, panicking inside because their bodies wouldn't obey and they can't communicate to us what a cruel prison they are in?

Georg

Reviewed by Kate Burnside

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Crushingly real and so well documented, Bernice. I understand that clockfaces are, probably for reasons you suggest, very important as a touchstone in the lives of those with Alzheimer's. I am thinking about these things a lot these days as I consider writing with the elderly, but I believe that the ability to sit alongside, and give time to earn trust goes a long way to unlocking the prison and letting the person articulate in new ways the current situation they find themselves in. What is devastating with this disease, is that the "rational" capacities diminish but the senses sharpen, so that their pain at being misunderstood and overlooked is doubly increased. Bless you for this window of understanding that you give us into an increasing problem within our ageing population. Kate xx

Reviewed by Ann Marquette

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

Oh My God Bernice, you have written this one as though you were inside her mind, her soul. And you are spot on. I know because my mother has alzheimer's and had to be placed in a home in 2006. She continues to get worse. It is one of the cruelest diseases there are.

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

Reviewed on June 16, 2008

*tears* You pen a powerhouse - leaving me weeping for the soul that was - now in an empty shell - know too many like this - lost in their own world - well done, Bernice, you take us there and make us understand - it could be us -

(((HUGS))) and love, karla.