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Death of a smile

Posted by threeleafshamrock on September 25, 2009 - 12:10
from the ABC set shamrock's ramblings

We never held a funeral for your smile
the date of death, uncharted, so unsure.
And maybe it was gone for quite a while;
the bigger picture, serving to obscure.

The laughter lines around your eyes exist,
like fossils of a former age and time;
before insidious, creeping senile mist,
deemed extinct that sharp and vibrant mind

The face void of expression seems as stone.
I think the adjective I seek, is ‘stark’.
With absolutely, no emotion shown
but fading as the twilight, into dark.

I wonder if in some entombed recess,
are you walking with me, eyes alight with glee
a devilish smile, accompanying your caress
your strong arms, hard but gentle, holding me.

My memory, serves me well but can’t replace
reality, which lacerates my soul.
And this cold, lonely; bitter empty space
where my love now, no longer, has a role

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Comments

MistakenMagic | September 25, 2009 - 18:21

Such a beautiful yet melancholy poem, Chris. Just love these lines:

'The laughter lines around your eyes exist,
like fossils of a former age and time;'

- I have a feeling they're going to be rolling around my head for quite some time!

Magic xxx

threeleafshamrock | September 25, 2009 - 18:26

Thanks lovely Magic. It is sad and unfortunately true. If it were me I pray someone shoot me. Glad you liked ;) XXXX

Sikander | September 25, 2009 - 18:34

Oh so sad. The concept of having 'a funeral for your smile' sums up so much - the death before death.

Very moving. Thank you.

threeleafshamrock | September 25, 2009 - 18:41

Alzheimer's is terrible but probably more so for the loved ones than the sufferer in the end...

Thanks for reading Sikander ;)

Beeme | September 25, 2009 - 19:19

This is so beautiful chris, so heartbreaking, and so vivid that it brought a tear to my eye. You expressed everything about Alzheimer's perfetcly and said everything I was trying to say in my poem about Alzheimer's 'struggling to remember, struggling to write'

I loved this verse;
We never held a funeral for your smile
the date of death, uncharted, so unsure.
And maybe it was gone for quite a while;
the bigger picture, serving to obscure.

Great work!

Beeme xx

threeleafshamrock | September 25, 2009 - 19:50

Thanks for the kind words Beeme, much appreciated.
;)XXXX

Nathan Bednarek | September 26, 2009 - 17:37

Great work! This poem pulls me in right from the beginning, and holds me right up till the end. It communicates the emotion effortlessly. A wonderful read! Well done!

Nathan ;-)

threeleafshamrock | September 26, 2009 - 19:55

Thanks Nathan ;)