Sand Through My Fingers

A poem I had originally written just before my uncle passed away with Alzheimer's.

He is like sand through my fingers 

He is like smoke in my fists 

He is like wind in my hair 

He is like tears in my eyes 

Untouchable 

Unreachable 

I cannot hope to contain him 

He ages and withers 

And decays and rots 

As we watch on unable 

To cure him 

His memory fades 

Slipping and sliding 

Sifting through his fingers 

He doesn't say goodbye 

He doesn't say anything 

Not even a whisper 

The sand has blown away 

The smoke has faded 

The wind has dropped 

The tears have fallen

He is simply 

Gone

Author's Note

As I couldn't find the original, I've rewritten it 9 months, almost 10 months after his death. This was... pretty difficult to get out of my mind and to put it into words and analogies, so if it doesn't make sense? Well, death doesn't make much sense to me anyway.
This poem is a finalist in the following contests:
http://www.writerscafe.org/contests/Promote-Me%21-XI-%28Poetry%29/50813/ - Came 5th!
http://www.writerscafe.org/contests/January-Poetry%21-/50894/ - Came 6th!
Thank you if you voted for me and for all your support!

Reviews

[Moonlight]

Rhia, I think commenting on how beautiful this poem is might do injustice to your emotions....
After all, it is a personal experience to lose someone whom you dearly love. You wait for them, holding on to the tiniest hope, of them getting better... but when that hope shatters, it just breaks you apart.
I lost my grandma when i was in third grade. Didn't really understand what being dead and stuff meant....
Just saw grandpa really sad.. and dad and mom grieving. I think I can relate to the pain of those left behind, when someone dear to them dies. It's because, all you have is these memories that you have to live with... and even if you want to hear their voice just one more time... it is impossible.

[Rhia Barton]

I'm sorry about your loss, but I'm glad that the poem made you think of your grandma. Your insight made me quite emotional! Thank you for the review!

[C. Rose]

Congratulations!
This piece is a finalist in Promote Me! XI.
By 1/31/2015 you can vote for this piece here: http://www.writerscafe.org/contests/Promote-Me%21-XI-%28Poetry%29/50813/

[Rhia Barton]

Whoa, seriously? Wow... Thank you?!

[C. Rose]

Beautiful imagery, well structured. I especially like the four images sand, smoke, wind, and tears that are first held onto and then slip away.

Well done.

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you for the review!

[C. Lee Battaglia]

I'm sorry. I know how it feels to lose someone you love dearly... (Please read my story called The Blonde Girl, it's about my best friend who passed. I think you would like it.) Even though he might not have been able to talk to you, He is still with you. In you. Apart of you.
These things happen in our life for a reason, to make us stronger in life a head of us.
I think it has lots of potential.
Keep up the great work!

C. Lee Battaglia

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you very much for the sympathies and the review!

[C. Lee Battaglia]

Your welcome!
Can you read my story?

[Rhia Barton]

I thought I'd replied to this but maybe not... In any case, I've read and reviewed it :)

[RileyRedding]

This is lovely, very poignant insight!

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you for the review!

[Gee]

Really sad,extremely well conveyed.Good to see another from MK posting poems.

[Rhia Barton]

Aha, another Milton Keynes inhabitant! Thank you for the review!

[Bec]

Very touching, a sensitively written work about grief.

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you!

[Jasmine Brown]

Your writing is fantastic, the poem develops so quickly. Such a sad subject yet you express it so beautifully in only a couple paragraphs, its admirable.

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you for the review and for the praise, it honestly means a lot to hear that from people on this particular poem.

[ANTO]

This is heartbreaking Rhia - you captured (ironically) the essence of bereavement over a period of time such that the memories and thoughts of loved ones start to wither with time which is why time is supposed to heal.
Like I said - heartbreaking ...and necessary

[Rhia Barton]

Thank you very much for the review! It genuinely means a lot to hear people say that I can fuel my emotions into my poetry. Gives a bit of closure, you know? Thank you again.