Poetry: Through the Eyes of a Mother

 

A poem about my mother witnessing my disability as it progresses.


Born “normal” and strong
Beneath the harmonious melody,
lies a discordant song
It lies in wait to strike
a river about to break its dike
Everyone thought “what a blessing!”
unseen wounds under a dressing
Walked at seven months of age
Another perfect page
in the book of life
soon to be filled with strife
A few years go by
Time to relax and sigh
Life is good,
nothing can go wrong
A time misunderstood
Filled with health and knowledge
Most certainly going to college
Get married, have little ones
Bask beneath the rays of God’s sun
At five, the utopia crashes
Everything which once was flashes
Crumbling and falling apart
Tears of the heart
End of the lucky streak
Beginning of the oblique
Everything a false hope,
everything a lie,
learn to cope
Each day, weaker
Each day, bleaker
Muscles deteriorate
Progressively worsens
never abates
They think it can’t get worse
but it does
unending like a curse
Each level a plateau
life deals another blow
nothing anyone can do
Desperate measures
a shining light but a smidgen
Put hope in religion
If all else fails,
God will help!
Alas, nothing but tall tales
Years go by and it’s off to college!
The future might be good after all
SLAM! into another wall!
Cannot breathe and lose consciousness
Panic and stress!
Hurry call a neighbor!
No one there!
Call 911!
My son can’t get air!
At the ceiling he just stares!
Perform CPR
Await the paramedics
Slowly the time goes tick, tick, tick
An eternity of uncertainty
no body under warranty
tt can’t get worse
It just did!
Almost had to call a hearse
Watching him grow older
The future getting colder
A most certain fate of death
Deny it until his last breath
Poem written by John Gugie, © 2007 butyoudontlooksick.com