The Decline of a Man

I met this man, a father, grandfather, a man of substance A wealth of life, success from nothing, earned respect No easy path yet won, built, from ruins to riches you might say Not alone, side by side with a mother, grandmother, a woman of substance This couple strived, created and achieved much, such a history She is in mind so strong, directing, dominant in her life, a force It can be seen even now in her frailty, she has much to be proud of, much to celebrate So her loss comes not easy, I speak of her man, this clever man As he begins to lose parts of his life, recent things, words, thoughts, discourse Unremembered, oft repeated to those around him, tenfold sometimes Yet to engage his history gone past, unlocks his memories and his eyes light Almost a child emerges as he recalls, some fantasy mixed in, all with animation Happiness surfaces, each tale delivered comes to life regardless of its reality The joy is to listen, to respond, to support, to respect, it is an education But mostly it is an honour to be part of this dance, even if short lived And for the rest? Well slowly he loses piece by piece his recent life Yet he remains happy, somehow younger in mind, and those around him Give him safety, care, love, kindness, the irritations accepted, understood, tolerated To see him find pleasure in simple things provides balance for the upset I am glad I met this man