For the month of January we are looking for submissions that touch on the theme of Alzheimer Awareness month. We were lucky to have received two submissions from Mary Campbell, who went on to being willing to read her poems so we could share them with others.

Today we would like to share the first of Mary Campbell’s poems: Rest, Little Momma, Rest

Mary Cambell is an Edmonton poet and member of the Stroll of Poets. Her poems have appeared in several anthologies and on the Poetry Walk at the University of Alberta Hospital.

She is the daughter of a 92-year-old mother with dementia

Rest, Little Momma, Rest

Rest, little momma, rest
I’ll be your mother now
I will hold you to my breast
and soothe away your furrowed brow.

I will help you cut your meat
button your coat
tie your bow,
things that you once did for me
some sixty years ago.

If it were in my power
I would will your legs to work again
and sharpen up your memory
of where and when you are
so you would not become afraid
as daytime darkens into night.

But it’s not for me to say,
the fates have dealt their cards,
as time slowly slips away
didn’t know it would be so hard.

So sleep, little momma sleep,
I’ll be your mother now
while guardian angels keep
watch over us all somehow.

©Mary Campbell 2016