Aphasia

Letters, words, and phrases Once piled, filed in my brain Dumped went all the drawers Words went all askew Files, unsorted, scattered Mixed messages now astrew To this scene I now awaken Into this dreadful dream Perplexed and puzzled Tears now stream Reasonable realignment Unfeasible, Unworkable, Words washed away Impossible to reach Imprisoned within Words from others Echo in my ears “Sufferered stroke,” “healing hospital” Only fuel fears. Familiar faces Names don’t know Smiles and tears Both do flow Days now pass I try to speak It’s hard to find The words I seek. I find only a massive mountain of tangled terms from which to pick and choose. I strain to say the sounds and work the words. Those around me puzzled, don’t quite understand. I know ‘things’ and ‘objects,’ on much more I can’t expand. Frustrated, Unfulfilled Feeling strained and stumped Searching for simple syllables In massive mounds where they were dumped. [My husband suffered a stroke on November 15, 2012. His therapist tried to explain to me what aphasia was. As frustrating as it is for the victim to make himself understood, it can be equally frustrating for the caregiver who wants to understand. This poem is my effort to have others understand.]