I attended a Tidewell Hospice class for volunteers and the subject was dementia/Alzheimers disease. I was inspired to write this poem.  I took care of my Mom for several years.  She suffered from some form of dementia.  We were told it was difficult to diagnose.  She never lost her memory of me, however, and until her death in 2011, we were very close.

DEMENTIA

Do what you will.
Even if I see you,
my eyes will lie.

Every day is new,
never familiar.

Touching my heart
instead of my mind.
Always sad or silly.

      – let’s start again.