Inspired by Mom

[BlueFox]

Hi All,
I lost my Mom in August, and this is my first return to the forum. She had a quick and peaceful death which I am grateful for, but I am still coming to terms with her loss. It was quite a shock and I still don’t feel I have fully taken it on board. I am trying to find out who I am now a longer have a “carer” label. In many ways it should be a kind of freedom, but it still feels like I am missing something vital. I wanted to share this with you, it is inspire by my Mom, haunted trees was one of her phrases. She used it to describe autumn.

Haunted Trees
She spoke of haunted trees
A word sought explanation from a fading mind
The stark winter branches, arcing across her sight
Mocking the connections her brain longer made.
Trapped in dementia’s Faraday Cage
Contained and separate

She fights to stop the world receding from her,
Raging at objects that have hidden their names
An ear caught voice, once familiar, now littered with unknown tones
An imagined childhood, friends that never call.
Fear or death the barrier - no longer certain which.

Sometimes we go driving, the tarmaced rhythm soothing
And then, electric memory, burning across the canopy
Turning to me “I miss him” she whispers, branches briefly touching
But soon she is back amongst the haunted trees
Lost in a forest of broken neurones
An ancient child weeping for rescue
Not realising the familiar will never again comfort her.

 

[Moggymad]

A very insightful poem @BlueFox. I am very sorry for your loss & the grief you are stil feeling.
My mum always looked upwards at the birds flying about from tree to tree & would raise her arm to point at them like she was seeing them for the first time. I imagined somewhere in her mind she wanted to fly free like the birds. This she can now do having left us a few weeks ago. A peaceful passing which I too am grateful for. X

 

[Marcelle123]

Hi All,
I lost my Mom in August, and this is my first return to the forum. She had a quick and peaceful death which I am grateful for, but I am still coming to terms with her loss. It was quite a shock and I still don’t feel I have fully taken it on board. I am trying to find out who I am now a longer have a “carer” label. In many ways it should be a kind of freedom, but it still feels like I am missing something vital. I wanted to share this with you, it is inspire by my Mom, haunted trees was one of her phrases. She used it to describe autumn.

Haunted Trees
She spoke of haunted trees
A word sought explanation from a fading mind
The stark winter branches, arcing across her sight
Mocking the connections her brain longer made.
Trapped in dementia’s Faraday Cage
Contained and separate

She fights to stop the world receding from her,
Raging at objects that have hidden their names
An ear caught voice, once familiar, now littered with unknown tones
An imagined childhood, friends that never call.
Fear or death the barrier - no longer certain which.

Sometimes we go driving, the tarmaced rhythm soothing
And then, electric memory, burning across the canopy
Turning to me “I miss him” she whispers, branches briefly touching
But soon she is back amongst the haunted trees
Lost in a forest of broken neurones
An ancient child weeping for rescue
Not realising the familiar will never again comfort her.

I think this is a very good poem, @BlueFox.
I love the structure and the imagery.

I'm a retired English teacher, and would definitely have wanted to take it into my classes, and I think it contains a lot of insight into the condition of dementia.

Thanks for posting it!

 

[BlueFox]

A very insightful poem @BlueFox. I am very sorry for your loss & the grief you are stil feeling.
My mum always looked upwards at the birds flying about from tree to tree & would raise her arm to point at them like she was seeing them for the first time. I imagined somewhere in her mind she wanted to fly free like the birds. This she can now do having left us a few weeks ago. A peaceful passing which I too am grateful for. X

 

[BlueFox]

Thank you, I was very moved to hear your story about your Mom. A read something yesterday saying about the heart flying free. Maybe that is the common link.

 

[BlueFox]

I think this is a very good poem, @BlueFox.
I love the structure and the imagery.

I'm a retired English teacher, and would definitely have wanted to take it into my classes, and I think it contains a lot of insight into the condition of dementia.

Thanks for posting it!

No worries, I just wanted to say something about dementia and what it does to the people we love.