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An Ode to Grandma
by Quinn Vokesold, wrinkled hands delicately shuffle
the battered ancient cards that lay before her
an old fashioned jacket resting on her shoulders
gives her the look of a little child
legs that once ran smoothly through the fields by
her childhood home now are fixed in one spot;
in the rusty wheelchair that confines her
her white, curly hair is short against her head
big thick rimmed glasses rest on her face:
20/20 vision has failed her
she doesn't understand why her memory is fading
she doesn't realize the things she says half of the time
she can't help it if her bed is wet in the morning
or if she has sudden tantrums followed by sudden drowsiness
the clock on the wall fascinates her
as well as one name she knows better than her own
food has become one of her favorite friends
she drinks pop and milk mixed together, insisting it
tastes better that way
poor old lady
everyone gets frustrated so easily whenever you mess something up
if only they could see that inside this 91 year old body
is a 17 year old woman screaming,
pleading to be let out 10/28/2002 Posted on 10/28/2002
Copyright © 2024 Quinn Vokes
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Rommel Cruz on 11/04/02 at 02:24 PM This one hit a chord in my heart. Reminds me of my grandmother. She too was 90+, bed ridden, could harldy speak. I remember many good things about her. But she's resting peacefully now. |
| Posted by Cathlyn Cartier on 11/05/02 at 07:01 PM I too can relate, my grandmother is much younger (76), but suffering from "Parkinson's Plus".. that's the Drs. way of saying, oh yeah we didn't catch the Alzehiemer's thing in time to give her meds that would help... Beautiful descriptions... it brings tears to my eyes |
| Posted by Vimal Rony on 11/21/02 at 07:17 AM Quinn eVokes a lot of feelings with this and yeah it provokes thougts too. |
| Posted by Delilah Coyne on 01/24/09 at 12:41 PM My grandma had that ancient deck of cards. When she passed, we laid it out in a game of solitaire and framed it. One of the jacks was missing and we wondered if she even realized why she never won. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 01/24/09 at 12:47 PM Compassonate understanding of an obviously loved grandmother expressed frankly but caringly. |
| Posted by Dave Fitzgerald on 01/24/09 at 04:04 PM Nice write. Congrats. |
| Posted by Ken Harnisch on 01/28/09 at 05:49 PM That last stanza is so purely poetic I read it over and over again...good to read you once more, Quinn |
| Posted by Meghan Helmich on 01/29/09 at 09:50 PM an ode, indeed. i hope to never get old. |
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