By Barbara Castle Hanson
Cape Canaveral Branch, Florida
She awakes with the gradual awareness
that she is awake.
She doesn’t want to be awake.
She tries to drift back into the soft, lovely dream
that had surrounded her.
She encuddles herself in the warm quilt,
pulling it snugly up around her shoulders,
under her chin.
She turns away from the slivers of sunlight
sneaking through the closed blinds.
She lies there quietly for a moment
lamenting the loss of the comforting fantasy.
She arises slowly with stiff joints
and unsteady gate.
She glances around her bedroom;
her eyes come to rest on packed suitcases.
Tears inch their way down
her wrinkled cheeks.
She dresses slowly
hoping, praying,
she will be able to escape to
soft, lovely dreams
at Gardenia Court.
.
Beautiful, Barbara! Very touching sentiment
This is a very interesting poem that puts one in the mind that this is a woman who has already accepted living in either a nursing home or assisted living facility. She awakens realizing where she is but not happy about it and would like to leave and possibly return to her former residence and former life-style. Surely, there are many women who are living in nursing homes of assisted living facilities who awaken and have those same thoughts. One never knows the real future for any of us that one day we may be living in a facility such as this and have those same thoughts. This poem expresses a woman’s thoughts of realizing the reality of her life, though not really happy about the situation. Well done.
The poet tells the truth about a life well lived. The last line is beautifully poignant.It is especially touching because of the high percentage of deaths in the Covid-19 Pandemic being the elders of our society. The sensory images of warmth, comforting enveloping blankets, and the avoidance of sunlight because it is a call to duties of everyday life resonates with the reader.
Good work.