Tag Archives: grief

and I smiled

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holding the year’s last rose in her hand
she disappeared
whisked away on the first day of winter
gone forever on a cold December day

my head said it was for the best
said I could not give the care she needed
said I had to let her go

my heart said

NO!

I made tea
cleaned up
pretended I was strong
wondered why I could not hear her near me
why I felt so empty and alone

and I cried
cried hugging all the memories
cried as I walked with her
danced with her
cried sitting with her on the seaside bench
our faces kissed by the morning breeze
cried hearing her sing out to passing children
cried as I touched her sleeping softness
cried every day through the longest winter of my life
cried far into sunnier seasons

this morning, when I opened my eyes
I thought of her once more

and I smiled

tio stib

You might also appreciate: You Will Always Be My Valentine; My Dementia Diary

 

Walking With My Lover’s Ghost

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walk with me
I hear her softly plead
come
walk with me

and so I rise and go
take the hand that isn’t there
feel the joy in her smile
the smile only my heart can see
hear the memory of her gleeful calls
her waves to passing children
as she scampers to greet them

hugging close
faces glowing in the morning sun
a gentle breeze caresses us
sitting on our seaside bench

I kiss her tenderly
taste the love upon her lips
inhale the sweet scent of her soul
embrace the grace that made us one
blessed us

touching the emptiness beside me
tears slide down my cheeks

come
I plead
walk with me

and I rise again
move on

walking with my lover’s ghost

 

tio stib

You might also appreciate: You Will Always Be My Valentine; Life Journey Poems & Prose

 

My Dementia Diary 98 – Muddy Waters

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swirling sadness surrounds my soul
muddy waters have drowned my heart

in time
the flood of tears will retreat
the clouds of sorrow melt away

in time
the waters will clear

in time
I will drink from the river of life

once more

tio stib

You might also appreciate: Her Smile; My Dementia Diary

My Dementia Diary 95 – Returnings

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“Where’s your wife?”

The grocery clerks, the drug store help, coffee shop baristas, deli servers, librarians, they all ask the same question. When I return now, alone, to the places we frequented together, they all expect to see the blind guy and his ever cheerful wife. 

But she’s not there, so they ask,

“Where’s your wife?”

And I try to answer, tear up, reach out to hold her hand that isn’t there, start crying, because I’m asking the same question,

Where’s my wife?

tio stib

You might also appreciate: The Walk to Paradise Garden; My Dementia Diary

 

My Dementia Diary 93 – A Trail of Hearts

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Sorting through her things, my fingers find a shape I know.

a paper heart

A message from a far off place

I love you!

and there are more

she has left me a trail of hearts

with each new discovery
I hold her close
press her memory to my chest

and cry

because paper hearts are not enough

tio stib

You might also enjoy: As Good As It Gets; My Dementia Diary