Our house is no longer her home
And her mind is no longer her own
It happened so quickly
That strange otherness
When the walls fell down
And she crossed into that other land
I tried to keep her with me
To be everything for her
But her mind was not mine to save
So the day came when my powers failed
And I had to surrender her
To our destiny and our fate
How long has it been
How long has it taken
To realize that she is lost to me
My forever partner in love and life
So as I clean out her closet
And sort out her shoes
How long will my heart break
Before I am whole again
Never whole again
Never the man I was
The man I became for her
I am incomplete
The mere echo of myself
And I wish like her
That I could fall into
The land of forgetfulness
And simply fade into oblivion
But I am too weak to make that journey
And I cannot surrender her entirely
To the care of others
Because
Her nursing home
Serves ice cream
On Tuesdays

©2026 Kevin Fraleigh