Wrote this in memory of my mother in law
 

No Yesterday
By Tony Radford

She woke every morn like the day she was born
with no knowledge of prior events,
she couldn’t recall Sunday’s trip to the mall –
or the flowers her granddaughter sent.

Like an angel she slept, but nothing was kept,
her memories fizzled away,
none would remain – all her joy and her pain
would only exist for a day.

Her kids were all grown, so she sat all alone
in the house that they built long ago
and one day a week I’d drop by – kiss her cheek,
oh how that old woman would glow.

Talking to me over cookies and tea,
she’d drift back to earlier years,
her life as a girl in a whole different world,
touring photos that brought her to tears.

How bright she would shine during “old movie time”
as she rode with the lows and the highs,
though the same one would play three or four times a day,
the ending would be a surprise.

Thirsty for news, but always confused
had a hard time remembering names,
except one she knew since before World War Two,
a dashing young fellow named James.

She’d spent all her life as an army man’s wife –
never hungry for fortune or fame,
when an unhealthy heart caused her man to depart,
she never would be quite the same.

With every new day she slipped further away,
until finally her past disappeared,
away they all went – every treasured event,
the moment that everyone feared.

That's really nice, Tony.

Tony- Hope you don't mind, but I printed this to share with my mom-in-law. She's 80 and sharp as a tack, but her own mom had Alzheimer's. When my wife was in high school and her Grandmom started to lose her memory, my wife shared her room and double bed with her grandmom till they finally had to move her into a nursing home.

Thanks for posting this.

Tony-God's peace for you loved one.

Thanks guys. Feel free to share.

wow
 

Tony sharing this with my support group. I see that you too speak fluent alzheimers.

jay

Jay, I'm certainly no expert, but I suppose a couple of cases in the family have taught me the language.

I just shared your poem with my mother whos husband has this terrible condition.
Thank you Tony.

Thanks Tony.

It is a language I know as well. My Dad has it.

Tony,

That was a great tribute to her and a big help to those dealing with people who have that disease. I have two neighbors that have it and it is sad to watch them just slip farther away. Thanks for posting it as that means a lot.

Ron

As someone who has gone through this with my own mother, I can feel your loss in your prose. My sincere condolences to you and yours.
Ted

Looks like I struck a nerve with this one. I didn't realize it was such a common occurrence.

Tony, it's been 12 years since my mom passed away with that awful disease and every line of your poem hits the nail on the head.
What makes it so sad is that we all remember them in their "normal" years, before this devastating illness wiped out "yesterdays."
Thanks for your thoughtful poem, it will be shared with family.
Ralph

Thanks Ralph. It certainly is a subject many folks identify with and that's sad in itself.