No Safe Passage
R Martin Basden is no stranger here. He has given us poems about autism (Distracted) and about the short attention span of his muse (Interruption).
You might think these rather disconnected themes and you might be
right. Today he brings us a poem dealing with Alzheimer's disease. Just
another example of how this writer can take beautiful words and write
entirely different stories with them.
No Safe Passage
By R Martin Basden
Habits that defined him every day got brushed over
with strokes so slight
that purpose wobbled
in its track
as we witnessed surprise turn to dismay in him
humor turn to concern in us
He lost himself
Gone traditional dinner-time banter
replaced by onerous repetition
replaced by silence
Gone the familiarity
of his unique personality
the captain now a hesitant mime
and worse
his treasonous body
adds loss to loss
Strong upright posture
to rounded shoulder stoop
his trademark left-handedness
with pen and spoon
useless
The pace from walking
to just sitting
completed overnight
over years
He does not live here
now
No Safe Passage
By R Martin Basden
Habits that defined him every day got brushed over
with strokes so slight
that purpose wobbled
in its track
as we witnessed surprise turn to dismay in him
humor turn to concern in us
He lost himself
Gone traditional dinner-time banter
replaced by onerous repetition
replaced by silence
Gone the familiarity
of his unique personality
the captain now a hesitant mime
and worse
his treasonous body
adds loss to loss
Strong upright posture
to rounded shoulder stoop
his trademark left-handedness
with pen and spoon
useless
The pace from walking
to just sitting
completed overnight
over years
He does not live here
now
Posted by Annmarie at 1/23/2010 11:35 PM 
Categories: today's words
Tags: R Martin Basden change lost grief Alzheimers disease
Categories: today's words
Tags: R Martin Basden change lost grief Alzheimers disease
Marty, Thank you for this strong, brave, heart-rending, beautifully written poem. Age and time are terrible task-masters.
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I can relate to this, Martin. My father-in-law faded away because of Alzeimer's.
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