I Think my Mom is Dying

I don't think this will be a poem,
just a dumping ground for some thoughts
since there's too much
family on Facebook
and the official "news"
hasn't yet been announced.

My mom's been taken to the hospital
probably five times
in the past year and a half,
always with coughing,
Pneumonia,
passing out,
heart failure.

This time
they found a mass on her right lung,
and are going to try and do a biopsy in the morning,
if the blood thinner is sufficiently out of her system,
if the doctors deem it safe enough.

But despite my prayers
I already know what they're going to find,
and so, I think, do they.

I won't spend this time
pretending my mom
is someone she was not,
but I also won't recount her sins
in detail any more.

Now she is only a sick old woman
who can barely hear.
Now she's feeble,
and sometimes doesn't know who I am.

Her grandson is due in July,
and I wonder if she will meet him.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Comments

Esker

8 years 5 months ago

brevity with intensity

been here
thinking about it
daffodils soon arrive
and it reminds me of
cancer...my mother
thinking last weeks
of how mortal we
are...
and like always
we go on

thank u!

Geezer

8 years 5 months ago

Somehow...

at the end of a life, we most always forgive the bad things of people and think of what we liked about them. My father was an alcoholic that caused much grief in our family, but now that he is gone, I remember the good things about him. Funny that should be, but there it is. Your poem is a recognition of the good things about your mother. A kind of mercy upon those who are about to pass from this world. Maybe it is that we hope that those we leave behind, will forget our sins or at least forgive them when it is our turn. You were logical, succinct and gave a good account of your thoughts. ~ Gee.
.

jane210660

8 years 5 months ago

Very raw, don't edit or

Very raw, don't edit or change it, it's a record of your feelings at a certain time and place. How you wrote it, is how it's meant to be.
Been where you are - in fact not so far away at the moment, although my Mum isn't in quite such bad shape - yet. Sliding toward the inevitable and not being able to stop it.
Cheers Jane x