Valentine's Day and Alzheimer's by Margaret Furnas

Visiting Dad,

Will he remember me,

Valentine box of chocolates in hand,

It's February

Time and Days are like Groundhog days here The bulletin board in the entryway filled with cutout Hearts.

Dad sleeping

Dreams and sleep

Let him pass the time

Update the memo board

Oh Larry, Mary Kay and Patti visited

Dad's memory on a memo board

A kiss and hug on the forehead

Dad slowly comes back

Were his eyes always this blue

The color of the sea

Sitting up

Is that disappointment I see

I am still here

Yes Dad

Dad unwraps the pink flocked ribbon

Blue flocked wallpaper memories

Dad toasted my engagement in that room

Take my mind away from here

Dad lets fly away, back there

I did not know

Blue eyes

That

You

Would

Open

Chocolates

Here

All

Those

Years

Ago.

Cellophane

We both tug at it

Finally a seam is opened

Like Dad's transluscent

Skin

His tent

His soul is enclosed

His work

To leave

This

Earth

To Fly

Yes Dad

You are still here.

Chocolate hearts

Pour forth

We open the box

Upside down

Dad and I

Catch

The Falling Hearts

Love

Pouring Forth

In

Chocolate

It is a momentary

Escape

Dad and I enjoy

Love

It's just like that

It cannot be contained

It cannot be bound

Dad

Your Love

Bountiful.

Walking

The Halls

Dad

And

I.

We hold hands this time.

Searching

For

An

Escape

We come round again.

The

Room

Says

James Hoying

His address

All the homes

You

Built

Dad.

This is not of your own

Hands.

Trust

Faith

Chocolates

It comes

Down

To These.

Closed

Those

Blue Eyes

Dreaming

A New Address

A room

Being

Prepared

Just for

Dad

With

Blue

Flocked

Wallpaper

And

Chocolates.