Visits with my mother are hard on me. I don’t live near enough to get used to her Alzheimer’s silence, the confused look in her eyes. I keep thinking one of these days I will accept this. But it seems so unfair. She was such a vibrant and thoughtful person. She is safe and happy and generally in good health, so I convince myself I should feel gratitude. Despair and grief take over. I can’t even look at this photo without tears welling up.
At Ethical ELA, we were prompted by Katrina to write about a photograph. I chose the one above.
We see
a child
delighted to hug
his great grandmother
generations of love
passed on with a kiss
on top of his head.We don’t see
Margaret Simon, draft
the grief seeping
into the moment
the loss of a mother
whose memories fleet
past through empty eyes
always questioning.
Reflections on the Teche 