Poem: Elder Care

And here is a poem I wrote yesterday, still in progress. As you can see, there are issues I'm dealing with regarding looking after mom, who is 91. However this particular poem is a total fabrication, based on the temptation. So don't worry about mom's money, it's safe. At least, hers is.... But there is always the temptation, and my understanding is that this can be a common problem in elder care.

as with all my poetry these days I tend to post it quickly, so it's fresh, new and probably not so good. Any feedback? always welcome!

Elder Care

The first time I stole from mom was the hardest
it was the guilt, I think, she is 91
but maybe it was that I hadn’t done it before
a thousand dollars means zero to her
so she did not miss the money at all, no
but I did not want to meet a teller’s eyes
so I used the atm instead

Mom lost the ability to manage her cheque book
after the hip replacement surgery
mini-strokes made her worse
while I stood by she went from strong woman
who wrote letters to the New York Times
to not understanding her voicemail

I resisted stealing her money for a long time
but I had all those bills to pay
and it was so easy, she trusted me completely
hell, I’m doing everything for her
she owes me. By now, she doesn’t have much left
I gamble with what remains, trying to win back what I took
and with her spare change, I drink

Victor Schwartzman

victors@mts.net