Poetry

Sometimes I write poems.  I usually throw them away because I am very insecure about sharing them. They are so much more difficult than other forms of writing, for me anyway.
I read a blog today in the Seattle PI that a woman writes about her experiences related to her husband's Alzheimer's disease. She included a poem in the blog that her husband had written before the disease had progressed too far for writing.  http://blog.seattlepi.com/witnessingalzheimers/
It made me think of a poem I had written a few months ago. I am hesitant to share it, but I will. First, a little background information.
 The disease has played a prominent role in my family.  My grandfather, my uncle and my father all died with it.  I purposely say with it because when my father died my mother had to argue to have Alzheimer’s disease put on the death certificate.  Technically, my father died because he had pneumonia. He had pneumonia because  he frequently  chocked while eating, causing food particles to go into his lungs. He chocked because Alzheimer’s often causes people to forget to swallow instead of breathing in when food in their mouth.    Finally, the doctor agreed to put pneumonia as a consequence of Alzheimer’s disease, or something similar to that,  on his death certificate.  For my mother, it was a victory. Considering my family background, I worry about Alzheimer's disease.  Here's the poem.

The Onset

By Sylvia Hammond

Grandfather, Uncle, Father, all

Wandering souls.

Sometimes weakly meandering

Sometimes frantically racing.

Looking to their hands, their gut, their heart

 Searching, never finding the misplaced thought.

Will I know my mind

Before I forget the object of my search?