In Memor(ies) of Grace

2012/08/12100 Days of Summer 2012, Poetry, The Sunday WhirlAlzheimers Disease, life, memories, memory, poempmwanken

IN MEMOR(IES) OF GRACE

Time passed at warp speed;
spinning days dwindle;
thoughts trace the lace
of invisible mind maps
flooded with memories
that ricochet, rarely settling
in the alcoves of clarity.
A narrow window opens
to reveal the curvaceous smile
of recognition.

2012-08-12
P. Wanken

Inspired by The Sunday Whirl’s Prompt #69: ricochet, invisible, curvaceous, narrow, maps, lace, dwindle, spin, warp, past, flooded, and alcoves. Also posted for Day 39 at “100 Days of Summer” — click here to go to their Facebook page.

Written in memory of my maternal grandmother, Grace, who was afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease.

35 comments

Linda Evans Hofke says:

2012/08/12 at 8:51 am

PAULA! This is great. Great choice of words.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 8:53 am
  
  Well…twelve of the words came from the wordle — so I’m thanking Brenda (at The Sunday Whirl) for them!
  
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brenda w says:

2012/08/12 at 8:57 am

Here we go again! Yours starts with “Time passed with warped speed,” and mine starts with “Time ricochets by.” That’s too funny, Paula. Two weeks in a row we are echoing each other. High fives, girl!!

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:00 am
  
  🙂 Serendipity. I’ll be by, shortly, to read.
  
  Thanks for the great words week after week, Brenda. Some of my favorite poems comes from the wordles. I look forward to this prompt every week…even though I know there will be one or two words that are trickier to work into the piece.
  
  Anyway — THANK YOU for your efforts to provide such a great prompt week after week.
  
  ~Paula
  
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  1. brenda w says:
    
    2012/08/12 at 9:02 am
    
    Thank you for your continued commitment to writing, Paula. It makes it so worth it. I love watching all of us evolve through our work.
    
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Daydreamertoo says:

2012/08/12 at 9:17 am

Such a lot said, in so few words.Powerful imagery. A lovely read.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:13 pm
  
  Thank you, DDT. I appreciate your feedback.
  
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Annette Mickelson says:

2012/08/12 at 9:17 am

We lost my husband’s mother to Alzheimers. You caught it very well. She immediately came to my mind when I was reading your poem. …alcoves of clarity and the smile of recognition. We saw them so rarely.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:15 pm
  
  Most people with Alzheimer’s I’ve had interaction with have had that same “blank” look — it’s always such a treasure to get that moment of clarity.
  
  Thanks for stopping by and for your comment.
  
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4joy says:

2012/08/12 at 9:44 am

Yes, our minds are a ‘whirl’ of thoughts and memories….and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Nicely done

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:15 pm
  
  Thanks for stopping by, 4joy! 🙂
  
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Laurie Kolp says:

2012/08/12 at 1:18 pm

those last three lines… wow

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:19 pm
  
  Thanks, Laurie. ❤
  
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vivinfrance says:

2012/08/12 at 2:44 pm

Beautifully written Paula, such a clever use of the Wordle words. I second your earlier thanks to Brenda: the highspot of my poeming week, a true inspiration to write the kind of poems or stories I would never have dreamed of without the Wordles.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:17 pm
  
  Thanks for your encouragement.
  
  And…isn’t it funny? I remember how you would “grumble” about the wordles! They’re kind of addictive, I’d say. 😉
  
  *hugs*
  
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markwindham says:

2012/08/12 at 4:00 pm

‘alcoves of clarity’ i like a lot, and finding that smile at last is indeed a blessing

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:17 pm
  
  Thanks, Mark. I appreciate your visit and feedback. 🙂
  
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1sojournal says:

2012/08/12 at 6:00 pm

Your description is spot on Paula. Brief and concise, yet feels like it flows with ease and purpose.

Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/once-upon-a-time-past/

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/12 at 9:18 pm
  
  Thank you for that, Elizabeth. 🙂 You’re always an encouragement!
  
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veronica balfour paul says:

2012/08/13 at 3:20 am

I like the lace of the mind map. A good use of the wordle word. It feels effortless and full of imagery. 🙂

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 6:58 pm
  
  Thanks, Veronica! I appreciate the feedback!
  
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Sara v says:

2012/08/13 at 7:22 am

I love that ending! Great use for the words 🙂

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 7:01 pm
  
  Thanks, Sara! I didn’t get home very often toward the end of Grandma’s battle with Alzheimer’s…but when there was clarity, it was so sweet!
  
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PJF Sayers says:

2012/08/13 at 12:12 pm

Paula, so much said in a concise piece of writing. Well done.

Pamela

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 7:03 pm
  
  Thanks, Pamela. That means a lot to me…I appreciate the feedback regarding my use of a few words and still be able to convey meaning without losing anything in the process.
  
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whimsygizmo says:

2012/08/13 at 5:31 pm

Looooove this word tangle:
“thoughts trace the lace
of invisible mind maps”

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 7:06 pm
  
  Thank you, my friend! Those were great words to work with this week, huh?? 🙂
  
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JulesPaige says:

2012/08/13 at 7:47 pm

One of my three grandmothers’ was a Grace…(step-grandmother) – she too in her later years might have lost sight of who she was, but she was always happy, so the staff said. I was able to visit her the week before she passed. (A few too many moons ago).

I just continued my story verse…
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/08/sw-69-acheron-9-for-both-b.html

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 8:01 pm
  
  Thanks for stopping by, Jules. *hugs* you
  
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magicalmysticalteacher says:

2012/08/13 at 8:26 pm

I certainly feel as though my spinning days are dwindling!

Another Whirl with Robert Hass

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/13 at 9:05 pm
  
  Thanks for stopping by, MMT. 🙂
  
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Irene says:

2012/08/14 at 5:49 am

That last line changes everything.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/14 at 3:56 pm
  
  And those smiles changed every visit!
  
  Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
  
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purplepeninportland says:

2012/08/15 at 5:14 pm

`thoughts trace the lace of invisible mind maps’ – how beautifully put for so sad an affliction.

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1. pmwanken says:
  
  2012/08/16 at 7:26 pm
  
  Thanks, Sara. I appreciate the feedback. 🙂
  
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