trapped in the light
of everything
he brings her flowers
and that is what she will remember
as they walk her into
the cage of old age
too old to fight
and too weary to cry
but strong enough
to understand
that life is filled
with wrongs
he makes his way
back to a car
filled with forms
and receipts
cat hair and missed
moments and he sits
for a moment with tears
in his eyes before setting off
towards the comforts of home and
cold sandwiches
.
.
.
A dear friend of my family (really more like family than friend)
who is 86 years old, had to give up her independence this past week.
It was hard, oh, so hard, to watch.
Linking up with the fabulous dVerse poets for”people” at Poetics, join us!
Also linking up with 100ThousandPoetsForChange” at Tashtoo’s Place.
September 29th, 2012 at 10:03 am
god. this is heartbreaking, but beautifully told. the cage of old age.
September 29th, 2012 at 10:10 am
an old affair? is he the dream of what might have been? is she?
September 29th, 2012 at 10:56 am
oh. just oh.
September 29th, 2012 at 10:57 am
This will sit with me for years to come; I can see every vivid moment, the wrong of no right options, the weakness and the strength. My heart hurts for her, and him, and you.
September 29th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
wow you gripped my heart pretty good in this one…dang….not quite sure the frame of reference but i feel the pain in this…really nicely spun….
September 29th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
As Debi says it “the cage of old age” So sad and beautiful.
September 29th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Tears. Quite simply, tears. And a massive lump in my throat that physically pains me. So simple in it’s language, so very real in it’s imagery…wow. Thank you so much for sharing this…
September 29th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
oh heck…that brought tears to my eyes…all the details in the car that so speak of home and comfort and the life they had and he has to leave her…felt…
September 29th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Oh this was so very sad. I could feel the man’s pain deeply through your words.
September 29th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
I’m sure that was horrible to watch and you expresses so beautifully… heartfelt.
September 29th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
*expressed*
September 29th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
For most of us, life really does come full circle, doesn’t it. We are born totally dependent on others as babies and so many of us become that way once more at the end of our days too.
Very poignant write Kelly, hits home even more when it is someone you know so well and care about.
September 29th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Kelly–I have done this, it is heartbreaking to be part of and watch. Very sensitively and beautifully captured.
September 29th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Stunning realism in this write. So sad and gut-clenchingly real. Excellent write!
September 29th, 2012 at 5:09 pm
A beautiful write that I could read over and over again. Beautiful heartfelt words.
Anna :o]
September 29th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Succinctly sad, perfectly poignant. Going through this right now, with my mother. Bravo, dear poet.
September 29th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
This is a beautiful story of a heartbreaking situation. Thanks for sharing it with us.
September 29th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I’m finding old age so far liberating of old frienships, relationships, concerns but it has come upon me suddenly. Enjoyed the details of presumed old love and found myself hoping it was fiction. Antonia
September 29th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Wow… so sad and heartbreaking and real… You put words to something that is difficult to express.
September 29th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
So sad…well written and crafted.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Wow, well said. Very touching. Loved these phrases: “Strong enough to understand; cat hair; cold sandwiches,
September 29th, 2012 at 8:13 pm
In the ‘cage of old age’ there may be no right answers, but when I approach that age, my wish would be to grow old with the one I love, wherever she may be.
September 29th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
I really enjoyed the combination of image and verse Jo; nicely done, as well as,
“too weary to cry
but strong enough
to understand
that life is filled
with wrongs…”
Lots of truth in your composition! Kudos, Roger ☺
September 30th, 2012 at 12:02 am
It drips sadness, it stands shivering and cold in a puddle of sadness.
September 30th, 2012 at 2:23 am
Very sad, and such a difficult thing to contemplate… Beautifully written.
September 30th, 2012 at 6:00 am
Beautifully visualised and heartbreakingly written.
September 30th, 2012 at 10:44 am
You captured the dreadful feeling of placing someone in a nursing home. I’m familiar to it, since I placed my mother and mother-in-law over a year ago. That day will remain one of the saddest in my life. Perhaps even surpassing the sadness over my mother’s death. This touched me deeply, as you can imagine. Bless your 86 year old friend.
September 30th, 2012 at 11:36 am
“too weary to cry.” but i cry with those words.
beautifully penned, Mrs. M.
in my fondest. tilda
September 30th, 2012 at 11:41 am
Oh, you broke my heart wide open with empathy and identification. A shockingly affecting write, masterfully realized.
September 30th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Heartbreaking and too close to home for so many families. Beautifully done. K
September 30th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Very evocative– my six months in an NH for rehab five years ago was eye opening– such strong people for being “caged..” xj
October 1st, 2012 at 10:38 am
I remember you talking about your friend on her birthday and again on twitter about this move and I felt your sadness there and here it is again, reinforced. What a beautiful, poignant picture you paint in such a few words.
October 1st, 2012 at 11:02 pm
The cage of old age…my mother had Alzheimer’s and we had to put her in a nursing home…I hated seeing her there. You wrote the pain of it so eloquently.