Sunday, February 10, 2019

Gone


I searched your hollow eyes
for my face, elbowed my way
through memories to see
if even a sliver of mirror
held my reflection.

All I found were wisps of blond hair
and a little girl clinging to the edge
of the drowning pool crying
she’d never learned to swim.

Gone, pulled under by the rapids
of erasing I watched myself disappear.

Mama blinked and spoke, “I can’t find my baby.”


©Susie Clevenger 2019

Alzheimer's Foundation of America

Real Toads ~ Just One Word ~ Sensation

12 comments:

  1. Felt this to the bottom of my toes.

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  2. Oh, wow! This is quite hellish, Susie. You have expressed the terrible loss so well from both perspectives.

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  3. Oh gah Susie. This is jarring, perfectly jarring. xo

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  4. This is terrifying... there is something so terrifying in the image of the drowning...

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  5. Wow! The end was a bit unexpected.

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  6. Riveting, Susie. Wow. I could see it so clearly.

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  7. This is heart breaking but utterly beautiful! The poetic imagery packs a powerful punch! Such a grief to watch the loss grow!

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  8. Woah! This made me sit up! It's haunting and riveting.

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  9. This is heart-breaking, Susie. I could feel every word!

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  10. *shudders*

    I've seen the horrors of memory loss portrayed in many different ways, but... wow, Susie. This squeezes the bones and leaves us cold. Awareness with teeth.

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  11. Oh...so well written...can't even imagine!!

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