Oh my! Oh my, oh what a shame,

The way she lays there day by day,

This woman that was once so full of life,

The costumes that she used to make,

And the pageants where they were displayed,

By this mother, Seamstress, Artist, Cook and Wife.

It’s such a pity and so unfair,

To see her always lying there,

Unable now to even swallow food,

Sustained by thickened juice and tea,

It’s heartbreaking for us all to see,

The way her character has been subdued.

It’s no-ones fault, no-ones to blame,

Altziemers now controls her brain,

And there is no cure, as yet for that decease,

Two brain bleeds she has suffered now,

Yet still clings on to life somehow,

Though for how long, we can only wait and see.

One day she looks close to the end,

The next she’s full of life again,

Or at least as full of life as she can get,

She seems alert and so aware,

Like she’s on the mend almost, I swear,

Though I suppose it’s best that none of us forget,

They said she had two days, two weeks ago,

So how long she has, nobody knows,

We just pray she doesn’t suffer while she waits,

With luck she’ll pass while in her sleep,

Of course we’ll miss her and we’ll weep,

But we’ll know she’s passed into a better place.

With all her faculties restored,

To be the way she was once more,

Before old age and dementia took their toll,

She’ll be in the kitchen, baking cakes,

Or deciding what costume to make,

And once again resume the matriarchal roll.

To create a place for us to come,

When our time on earth is also done,

And we meet again beyond those pearly gates,

Where all our needs will be supplied,

And no-one suffers, weeps or dies,

Until then, there’s nothing we can do but wait.

By S.E.Ralph

15-8-2021