The poem below was written by a friend's daughter as an assignment for her high school English class. According to her mother, Melanie sat down and quickly produced this poem about her grandmother who is living with Alzheimer's at the very last minute. If this is what Melanie produces in a quick minute, she has a lifetime of powerful writing ahead of her!
The Journey of a Life Lived With Alzheimer’s
Highest of highs, lowest of lows
How it began nobody knows
The valleys are deep, and the chasms are wide
But your loved one is merely along for the ride
Disheartening it is as you step back and see
What she once held so close is but a faint memory
Her words are repeated again, and again
As she longs once more for the company of friends
She begins to cry
Though she knows not why
She cannot recall
The reason, at all
Though words become slow, and thoughts become twisted
“Just stay for a while,” is all she insisted
The presence of those whose faces she knows
Is all that it takes to make her day great
Be patient with her, as her mind draws a blank
Simply offer a smile, there’s no need to be frank
As she struggles, and struggles with all of her might
The enemy is becoming more and more real
She’s not losing this battle, but winning the fight
Pill after pill, night after night
Though her memory fades, her heart stays the same
Warm as a fire, full of desire
The sheer size of her heart puts even the brightest stars to shame
Daily, more like her I strive to be
Humble and sweet, selfless and free
Over this grave disease she reigns victorious
Her legacy forever lives on in all of us
-Melanie Bradley
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