Lost in the Communication
H. W. Bryce
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
Re: ALZ/Dementia loss of speech
Honouring Ann and all care givers
I am a talker. Well, I used to talk and to talk,
But something in my brain doesn’t work now,
While my body is slowing and pain stops my walk
And for talk all I can do is to grunt now.
Oh how I miss my talent to talk.
And if I could talk, you surely would know it,
But now when I try I just blow it.
I say in my head I love you,
But my lips say only Ayyy uv oo.
Oh
how I miss the time that we both had together
And I cherish the moments we have here.
But you keep on going away, Love,
And I have to resort to my prayer.
Where is it you go when you go, Love?
What do you do when you’re there?
Oh, please don’t go now. Please, stay for a while.
Stay for a while, won’t you stay?
It’s so lonely here midst all of these strangers,
Kind as they are, they are not you,
And sometimes I think I’m in danger,
’Cause sometimes they send in a new crew.
Oh tell me you miss all our dancing,
Tell me you miss those times too.
Oh how I loved to be dancing with you,
’Cause I loved the way that you held me,
How our feet were always in sync.
And how I loved those hugs that you gave me
As you swirled me around the dance floor—
La-dee-dah dah La-dah-dee dah dah Dum
Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm Hmm-hmm- hmm hmm-Hmm—
And without them I’m feeling so poor.
But I remember the whispers you whispered
So lovingly into my right ear,
And how I felt your hot breath on my smoothly combed hair
As you whispered those sweet little words
That we so lovingly share.
And, oh, how I miss our discussions,
The pleasantries, smart backs and fast for ths;
We made each other much smarter,
And quickened our pleasure in life.
You stand there and smile while you touch my soft cheek,
I wonder what you hold in your head;
What thoughts are you thinking, I wonder,
But bless you, you say I love you instead.
Oh,
I speak to these people, they say yes or okay,
They don’t understand a thing that I say,
Yes
There’s something that’s lost in the saying,
Something keeps blocking the words on their way.
Oh,
They keep talking, as if talking down to a child,
Or as if I were deaf and quite mute, don’t you see?
They seem to think that I have no understanding,
And fuss me ’cause they think that I’m cute.
Yes there’s something that’s lost in communing
When you’ve lost the power of speech.
The words seem to get lost while commuting,
And meaning has shortened its reach.
Oh yes, I was a talker,
But something doesn’t work any more,
I just want you to be near dear,
’Cause your presence erases my fear.
Oh stay, Love, please stay now,
Won’t you please stay for a while?
I just need you to be near, Love,
’Cause your presence erases my fear.
—
Photo: Ann dancing at her daughter’s wedding, London
Edith Wilson, Ashok K. Bhargava and 63 others
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