My Family (Poetry)

717

He died.
She broke.
Then he lived.
Her son was dead.
And then he was alive.

But what happened to her?

Abuela got the news that her eldest child had died in the hospital. She had seen him off this morning and now he was gone. Norma dropped to her knees with a loud scream. "Please God no! Please God save him!" She prayed and cried and prayed and cried. All of her strength leaving her in every word that escaped her lips.

The day passed and his eyes opened.

Two days passed and he was off the life support.

Three days passed and he was talking.

Her prayers and her strength were answered and given to him.

It wasn't until a year later, he was walking, talking, home. And she was... slowly... losing... her... mind.

Can health be transferred from body to body? Did she have enough to save him and keep enough for herself?

Can stress break the human soul? Can it break the mind?

She now repeats conversations she's had with her children and grandchildren. She asks them questions she can't remember the answers to from moments before. She repeats movements, stuck in a loop that she doesn't even know she's doing.

When will the circles get so short that she catches up with herself?

Is she still stuck mentally in her mind from the day she lost her son?

Does she realize he's okay? Did her while life pause in that moment?

717

717

717

She always returns to the channel 717
But why?

Was it once her morning routine?
Is it her favorite channel?
Is she looking for something?

She stays on it for only a moment and then
Click!
Click!
Click!
Channel after channel flashes across the screen.

Then she stops.
Turns to me.
"Here put what you want to watch on."
"No it's okay Abuela, put whatever you want on"
"I don't really watch TV, I only watch the news."
"Okay so put on the news, I'll watch it. I can work on my Spanish."

717

Click!
Click!
Click!
Channel after channel flashes across the screen.

Then she stops.
Turns to me.
"Here put what you want to watch on."
I hesitate, wondering if I heard correct.
I say,
"No it's okay Abuela, put whatever you want on"
"I don't really watch TV, I only watch the news."
"Okay so put on the news, I'll watch it. I can work on my Spanish."

"Okay," she says.

717

Click!
Click!
Click!

I try to ask questions to test her memory, but she answers them normally like there's nothing wrong. That's the hardest part.

She turns to me.
"Here put what you want to watch on."
I hesitate, wondering if I heard correct.
I say,
"No it's okay Abuela, put whatever you want on"
"I don't really watch TV, I only watch the news."
"Okay so put on the news, I'll watch it. I can work on my Spanish."

I see it. I see her short term memory withering away as she clicks through the channels.

I wish I could capture those memories and store them away for her. I want to be her own personal secretary with files of her memories.

God please preserve her thoughts. Please help us help her. Place your hand on her mind and heal her.

My love for her will never fade and I'll stick by her side even when she doesn't know who I am.