In the House of Death

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Based on a true story I am privy to. At the latest, the woman portrayed in this poem has good vital signs despite hardly eating a bite, but the visiting nurse says the time is nigh.

In a house too huge for them to maintain, a man hunched over with back pain lives with a disabled daughter and his very elderly wife. A recent heart attack has left her frailer and meaner. The doctor “says” she will die. Not willing to get up or walk for years, she had atrophied. Refusing sponge baths, meds, or a private nurse, she screams for her ill spouse whose little strength does little good. Time is crawling on the doomsday clock: two minutes to midnight. Feb. 18, 2018 For Emile Pinet's the doomsday clock: two minutes to midnight contest

Copyright © | Year Posted 2018



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Date: 4/14/2018 8:25:00 AM
Nice to see an Etheree from you Andrea. I still have the Etheree Chapbook you sent me, thank you.
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Date: 2/27/2018 10:30:00 AM
Wow, what a release of your thoughts of sadness. Knowing that this is your in-law's life makes it even sadder.
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Date: 2/26/2018 12:12:00 PM
Powerful poetry, Andrea! Your soul pen reached into the deep inky darkness ... and came out of the abyss w/enlightened understanding. Brilliant and creative D-etheree. Love your work as always. Love and joy forever.
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Date: 2/22/2018 7:20:00 PM
Andrea, this is such a horrible thing and what makes it so sad is that it is true, this a winner to me, excellent !
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Date: 2/21/2018 8:25:00 PM
Great write on a lonely subject. Reminds me of Delores Claiborne :)
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Date: 2/20/2018 9:31:00 PM
Thank you for sharing this talented write, and moreso, thank you for sharing. Good luck in the contest, Dear.
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Date: 2/20/2018 5:09:00 PM
Great write, Andrea, about the type of person that is SO hard to love! Janice
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Date: 2/20/2018 4:36:00 PM
Does your imagination know no bounds? Yet why am i not surprised? Its always a joy to come here and read your poetry.
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Date: 2/20/2018 1:01:00 PM
Wonder where the inspiration for this came from? Yikes, you captured them, yepper, you did. Good job of it, too. This is certainly unique and sure to stand out. It is so close to 'home' that I'm a bit muddled over what to say; it is a good poem and it is an original Andrea, just wish the darkness wasn't - well, wasn't. Love ... CayCay
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Date: 2/19/2018 6:49:00 PM
A very sad write, Andrea, to which I'm sure many people can relate. GL in the contest.
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Date: 2/19/2018 6:36:00 PM
Nice hourglass shape and poem.Believe me I have not had a nice life - plenty of times I have been stricken with illness, I am glad I can sell some articles since they cut my hours at the college to one day a week! Training next Saturday. Hope you persevere with your poetry. Peace & Love Matthew Anish
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Date: 2/19/2018 5:44:00 PM
That's a chilling write, Andrea, and the shape evokes an hourglass. brilliant!
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Date: 2/19/2018 3:54:00 PM
Sands of time ticking away toward doom, excellent double etheree Andrea...
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Date: 2/19/2018 9:55:00 AM
Hi Andrea, First of I have to say you are so good at the "Etheree" form. Wow you tackled the "doomsday" subject very well in this well written piece. All of our days are numbered and you expressed that fact very well in this riveting piece. It's so sad to see It's based on a true story. I wish you the best of luck in the contest:-) Alexis
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Date: 2/19/2018 8:08:00 AM
All of us will one day come face to face with our mortality. You have given us a moment to pause with this effective sobering piece.
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Date: 2/18/2018 10:44:00 PM
This is an awesome different take on the theme Andrea; unfortunately this probably happens to a lot of elderly couples…gulp…hope my husband and I aren't one of them in the future! Good luck in the contest!~Che :) PS Just read your comment above your poem and didn't realize this is based on a real family…how truly sad for them!~Che
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Date: 2/18/2018 10:19:00 PM
oh how sad! :( What a terrible way to live. Just heartbreaking. But an interesting take on the them. Hey, thanks for your comment on my last poem, I didn't realize he had reposted that poem. I still have it posted, but we wrote it together in July so it's further down on my list.
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Date: 2/18/2018 8:41:00 PM
Intriguing poem, Andrea! I liked the fact that this is also a shape poem and it looks like an hourglass of time! Enjoyed! GL in the contest :)
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Date: 2/18/2018 8:29:00 PM
How very witty, Andrea. Love your shape which adds to the inevitable. Marvelous take on the theme.
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Date: 2/18/2018 8:20:00 PM
The story feels so real and sad..we all face that time eventually..well said Andrea. Best for a win.
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Date: 2/18/2018 8:07:00 PM
this is such a sad write, with the end close, the marching of time, beautiful writing Andrea, good luck in the contest :)
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