1799 By: Thomas Stothardafter: William BromleyPublished: 24 January 1799
Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons
A Wife’s Lament
I bid the light to linger still, to stay—
for when it’s dark within, no image sits
of you and I, still young, engaged in play—
our minds still sharp, our ever-sparing wits
engaging one another so, as it be-fits
a love that’s born to relish comedy.
But now your mind has failed, your mem’ry flits
from here to there to deepest tragedy,
enshrouding mind and dimming lively eye.
I mourn that mind, once keen, so bright and smart.
I see you thus imprisoned and I cry.
But then you place your head upon my heart,
in nighttime silence, broken by a moan
I cannot hold within—this heart’s not stone.
I’m joining this to dVerse Meeting the Bar where Gayle has us playing with Bout-Rime. The challenge is to write a poem using the given end-rhymes. These are the oncs Gayle has chosen for us: stay, sits, play, wits, flits, comedy, flits, tragedy, eye, smart, cry, heart, moan, stone. You are to use the words in the given order.
While my thoughts went immediately to my dogs, I decided to go with a more serious subject, one I’ve witnessed time and again–that of an elderly couple in which one person (the wife in this case) is caring for a spouse who has dementia.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
Comfort’s touch.. last
remaining
Life..:)
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So very beautiful, Victoria.
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This is heartbreaking. It’s so painful to realize how bad the latter in “for better or worse” can get. My husband and I always argue about which of our minds will go, first and worst.
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Such a delicately poignant description of this couple as one slips away…dementia of any kind is so very very hard to witness and feel through.
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A beautifully sad depiction of the process of aging, Victoria. And slowly the world turns!
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You captured the sense of loss brought by dementia.
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This is simply a lovely picture of the wife’s love of her spouse in spite of his dementia. I would, however, love to see what idea you had to work your dogs into a poem with these words. 🙂 Peace, Linda
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I read an article of a daughter tending her father, also bringing up her own daughter and how their minds met going opposite ways. Your poem described it with heart rending clarity.
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Truly filled with emotions, loss is felt when the mind fails.
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Hard for me to read. I know this too well. I admire the writing, all the same.
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I’m so sorry, Rosemary–it’s so hard.
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How tragic and sad & my heart goes out to the couple Victoria ~ You have delicately and beautifully told this story ~
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such sadness and love you’ve captured in this
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A beautiful compassionate write Victoria. I know this all so well – at home and work. Your words filled me up.
Kind regards
Anna :o]
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Sadly, so many of us experience this. It’s especially hard when it’s in your family.
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Such an emotive write.. especially touched with the closing couplet.
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Brilliantly done, Victoria. Technically sharp, full of emotion and a perfect end. Hats off!
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It seems that it’s often the wife who ends up being the caretaker of her husband. I imagine there must be many tears. Victoria, you did an amazing job with the words presented, bravo!
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Yes, it does seem more often to be the wife…though not exclusively.
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Succeed you did indeed, delivering with compassion & intense emotions a message for our peers, & for their offspring; kudos & hugs sent your way.
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This makes me think of my dad who died of Alzheimer’s 6 years ago today and my mother, full of wit and life, how their younger days were spent engaged in intellectual play (they graduated from Harvard & Radcliffe). I must give Mom a call…
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Ah. That must be especially hard. Definitely, call Mom. My mother is the one afflicted now, but I call almost every day and she still knows who I am even if the conversation is the same every day. Every time she tells me “Don’t forget you’re my little girl.”
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Oh, that’s lovely!
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I can relate to the relationship that lives to laugh and your closing line is so touching and true…one cannot hold a facade of stony heart for long. Beautiful work with the form as well. 🙂
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This is so sad and close to my heart.. When life changes we find our life is not of stone. You used the words so well it was undetectable it was a bout rime
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Sadly, close to your heart.
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beautiful words
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Oh the sadness she feels looking back at what once was — the sharp mind and the wit now left behind forever!
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This is so moving and I find it extraordinary how you have used the words from the prompt in the given order! Very inspiring and seems to also soothe the pain of loss in these relationships.
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My mother is in a home with Pick’s disease, a type of Lewy bodies dementia, which I also watched take over (and away) my lovely grandfather and my great grandmother. Your poem made me cry.
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Pick’s is so hard and often affects younger than people. Sorry for the tears, but they are an important part of going through the process. Thoughts and prayers.
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We are going through this now with my M-I-L. So hard… you’ve done a great job of describing it.
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So many of us are dealing with it. I hope all goes gently with your husband, family and his mother.
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Oh so sad, and yes, we have seen and mourned this situation. That form is so prescriptive that it’s a wonder to me that you succeeded so well with it.
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