I wrote this while working as a carer. I know it's not perfect, but I wanted to try and understand how someone suffering from dementia may see things;

Forget me not. By Derek Ward.


I know you.

You’re the one who helps me dress
wipes sleep from my eyes
and puts slippers on my feet
so the cold floor doesn’t make me flinch.
You’re the one who feeds me
cleans up the food I spill
and reads my stars out every morning
telling me how great today will be.
You’re the one who brings me tea
after you’ve helped me into the chair
in front of the tv
while you polish all the photos
of us
from the days before I forgot
not only you, but also myself.


I’m the one
who sees the pain in your eyes
when you sing to me
and I don't recognise the song
that you tell me was always ours.
I’m the one
who loves the look of love
that you have for me
while desperately wishing
I could remember the person
who first made you feel that way.


© Derek Ward.