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.
PAULA! This is great. Great choice of words.
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Well…twelve of the words came from the wordle — so I’m thanking Brenda (at The Sunday Whirl) for them!
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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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🙂 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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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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Such a lot said, in so few words.Powerful imagery. A lovely read.
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Thank you, DDT. I appreciate your feedback.
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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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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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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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Thanks for stopping by, 4joy! 🙂
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those last three lines… wow
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Thanks, Laurie. ❤
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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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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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‘alcoves of clarity’ i like a lot, and finding that smile at last is indeed a blessing
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Thanks, Mark. I appreciate your visit and feedback. 🙂
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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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Thank you for that, Elizabeth. 🙂 You’re always an encouragement!
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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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Thanks, Veronica! I appreciate the feedback!
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I love that ending! Great use for the words 🙂
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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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Paula, so much said in a concise piece of writing. Well done.
Pamela
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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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Looooove this word tangle:
“thoughts trace the lace
of invisible mind maps”
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Thank you, my friend! Those were great words to work with this week, huh?? 🙂
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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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Thanks for stopping by, Jules. *hugs* you
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I certainly feel as though my spinning days are dwindling!
Another Whirl with Robert Hass
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Thanks for stopping by, MMT. 🙂
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That last line changes everything.
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And those smiles changed every visit!
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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`thoughts trace the lace of invisible mind maps’ – how beautifully put for so sad an affliction.
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Thanks, Sara. I appreciate the feedback. 🙂
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