I have once again tapped the well for a chance to emotionally connect with my mom’s struggle with dementia. Perhaps you can hear some Dylan Thomas here, his repetition of the line, “Do not go gentle into that good night” in his villanelle of the same name.

I was struck when I took the dogs out this morning how many many more daffodils are now blooming with many many more to come.

I love living here in the woods, going out with the dogs and playing, gathering wood for our fireplace which I’ve kept going all day now, knowing that the burning season is soon to end.

The subject here is tied to my poem “narcissi” both with the focus on nature and on the agony of dementia.

Here, though, the narrator is having a conversation with someone close to them. Because I’m writing this, sharing this, you know that this is me speaking to my mom. It’s important to know that I don’t want this to be about me or my mom, though.

I was hoping as I wrote to connect with others going through this. I know that my poem is unlikely to be read by many, but even then dementia is such a common condition now, and when you are close to the person, and have spent a lifetime or so loving them, you hope that they are ready to fight for those last few years, months, minutes of being present that are so quickly lost.

I’m going to write more about this poem, talk about some of the things I tried to do here, talk about the ocean imagery and the specific references to the natural world outside my house.

For now, a note that the featured picture is of that bird “under” the spotlight. She’s actually above it, but poetic license and all.