Searching

a whirly bird
has been circling
over farm fields
lakes and rivers
near home

an old lady on her own
with dementia
is still missing
completely
gone to ground

surely someone has
seen her walking around
looking unkempt
looking frightened and
confused

trying to find
her way back to where
she can’t remember
not knowing her name
or her address

or thinking that
a knock on a door would
surely help solve her
problem more
easily

for three days and
three nights out of sight
her plight is becoming
desperately sad
and worrying

as hope is running out
for searchers
who want to find
a solution with a
happy ending

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

I worked in a chronic disease hospital for 12 years, knew many dementia patients. I sincerely hope the rescue efforts have been successful, because those with this condition are living in another reality. The familiar is lost to them, and they can't function without supervision.

[Chris Shaw]

Apologies for my late thank you. You will be pleased to hear this lady was found after three days, safe and well. Such a relief to everyone in our community.

Chris

[William Michael Reeves]

Uh oh! I'm guessing this is inspired by someone lost over there. In America we have something called a Silver Alert'. I don't know if you have a similar system that alerts everybody on their phones. Your poem also reminded me of my experiences working in nursing homes. Receiving people like your lost soul, and chasing escapees. Luckily found them all!

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Bill. This situation was resolved happily. She was found, but what a worry for everyone. We have similar neighborhood schemes to your Silver Alert. Good on you for working in a nursing home. I loved the people who cared for my mum in her last years. She wanted to stay close to where my step dad was and I live over 200 miles away. Happy you found all your escapees. Big thank yous to you.

Chris

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

Chris,

Two things caught my eye: 1.: Someone who knew what a whirly bird is, as I watched the old tv series The Whirly Birds back when I was in the second grade in Algequerque, New Mexico ever so long ago. 2.: My wife suffered from early Dementia that was taking her mind away bit by bit, as she would awaken to sit on the side of the bed in the mornings with this horrible look up disorientation upon her face in trying to figure out where she was, and likely who I was sleeping in the bed beside her. She had type two Diabetes, and now doctors claim there is a Type three Diabetes that brings on Dementia, as well that all the prescriptions that she took that also could and do result in memory issues ... So, this piece is most poignant to me in my life, a life where I married here again to make certain that no one was going to put her in any damn home, and that of never as long as I was alive ...

Marve

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Marve. Yes, I do vaguely recall that tv series:) I was touched by your share about your late wife. Dementia is a cruel disease indeed. I appreciate your review and your thoughts. All the best.

Chris

[Stella Armour]

ah, this happens so often these days, when i worked in residential homes we even had dementiA patients opening windows to go outside in the night ... so quiet they weren't heard. The police used to eventually bring them back in the nightieds bless em,
Gone are the days when neighbours would have checked regularly for their wellbeing.
So sad Chris , she was probably in her mind just going out shopping. hope she is found very soon

[Chris Shaw]

Hello Stella. Hope you are well and all is good in your world. Yes, it is such a sad situation, but in this instance the outcome was positive. She was found after three days and nights, and she was safe. Have a great Sunday.

Chris

[Stella Armour]

thank goodness she disappeared in the summer months else the outcome might have not been so good. Trouble is you can lock doors but not windows as this is a fire hazard

[FGFRANKLIN]

It's so sad when anyone loses their way in this life and it can happen in oh, so many different ways. We hear reports of this sort from time to time about the elderly dementia or Alzheimer's patient just walking off the grounds going walkabout. It's a scary and saddening reality.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Fabian. It is both sad and scary and I guess it could happen to anyone. Have a great Sunday.

Chris

[Betty Hermelee]

I know some people with dementia who have wandered out of their homes or facilities, but thankfully they were found.. so many of these people don't make it back safely and end up at the cemetery... this is a worldwide problem... in mental health, and it seems as though research on this disease has not caught up with the increase in the numbers....so sad...we all have to hope that we will be fine....
Warmly, B

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Betty for your thoughtful review. It is s sad state of affairs. Wouldn’t it be great to find a cure for dementia:) All the best.

Chris

[Betty Hermelee]

Absolutely.... my mom dies of it....
Warmly, B

[JessyJacob]

You have never revealed your inner intentions to anyone, thats what i see as a woman, who keeps everyone whoever and whatever they are, and just gives ligtht to them, to show path, this i see in a woman as a wife, daughter in law, daughter and finally the great mother. This is the complete definition of a Woman being woman, for which you may consider it as Nature, who just gives and takes back nothing, even if takes back, it is only a kind of giving right thing at right time. A candle burns and gives ligtht others and it never thinks it has given and now you give and it only makes sure you are going in your path showing light towards that. An ode to mother.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you jessy for your kind review. Have a lovely day.

Chris

[Lorry]

Just another face in the crowd, that no one sees because their eyes avoid all contact with anything other than pixels.
Such a sad end to life that memory is shaken and erased, like an etch a sketch board, that doesn't even know it is an etch a sketch board, lying forgotten in some old woman's cupboard, who doesn't even know where there is.
I never expected life to be fair, but sometimes it is just plain cruel.

[Chris Shaw]

Life can be so cruel Lorry. In this case, she was found, but I hear of many others that aren’t resolved. Life is tough but for the vulnerable much more so. Have a happy Wednesday and a big thank you for stopping by.

Chris

[Neville]

........ I sincerely hope there will be a happy ending .. I would hate to think the lady in question becomes just another hapless victim & likewise statistic of a vastly underfunded & ill equipped social care system ..

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Neville. Pleased to say there was a happy ending in this case. Sadly that doesn’t happen too often. Happy Wednesday to you.

Chris

[Neville]

Ah' good to hear ta for the encouraging update .. N

[W. Barrett Munn]

I used to work with these people and the tragedy is with their families.

Winston

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Winston. Without doubt you are right. Must be a terrible worry for them.

Chris