A Living Death

A Living Death By Elton Camp All that was Richard Bonds slips away Steadily, surely, inexorably day by day The desperation seen in his eyes is real Dementia grows and continues to steal No matter how hard he does try People he can no longer identify Perhaps he realizes he’s seen them before But cannot place who they are anymore “This is your son as you surely must recall” But he has forgotten he ever had a son at all Slowly, his family all pull away “It’s no use,” they sadly say “It’s just too bad for me to see A nursing home depresses me He won’t even remember that I came Why, he no longer knows my name” “Mister Bonds, how are we today?” A foolish, prating aide will say It’s in baby talk that she speaks Of cheap perfume she reeks Of her condescension he’s vaguely aware But he can now only silently sit and stare The competent man he was is no more Richard awaits death to knock at his door