Despair (Written for my Brother Larry in August, 2007)

Then to look upon Gods face. With no pain.

So sad. My Mom had ALS where your brain works and the other parts of you just shut down.

What a great poem! Thanks!

Dear Elsie, I can barely type through the tears this beautiful poem wrought. An angel will come and take your brother to that place, don't you fear.

Hugs for you, Elsie. It's always hardest for the one's who are left behind.

Your brother is in good hands....his son, his doctor...and his loving sister sending out heartfelt messages such as this. When the angel's hand comes to lead your brother to that place of fresh air and beauty, he will be ready.

Elsie you went and made me cry.
Thank you for sharing this.

Wonderful poem Elsie. Huggers to you and your brother.

Elsie, this was beautiful WAY beyond my ability to express.

Elsie this is beautifully written and my thoughts are with you as you walk bravely through yet another tragedy. I feel that to share our feelings about what is happening in our lives through poetry is not only a great tribute to lost loved ones, but is very therapeutic for ourselves, and you do this so well.

I truly wish that you didn't have to go through this pain yet again. I will pray for you, your brother, and your family.

The poem reflects your love.

Elsie that was just beautiful, honestly that brought tears to my eyes. You both are in my prayers

Thanks for sharing your poem, prayer are with you all always.

this was beautifully done Elsie ....I am so sorry for your loss ... the long lingering loss of the brother you knew... Alzheimer's Disease is a horrible, horrible thing

oh my goodness the tears are blurring my vision. My dear sweet Elsie you are so full of depth. You my dear are the angel of us all. I am sure your brother knows how much you love him.

Bless you all...

I'm so sorry about your brother, Elsie. It must be very difficult. I fear this for myself. I think it would be so cruel and so very difficult for my kids to go through.

I hope he finds his way through the darkness.

What a wonderful way to express what this horrible disease is like, my aunt who raised me has Altzheimers, and she doesn't even remember who I am, it breaks my heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. May your brother rest gently in the hands of his god.

Elsie:

I think that this is one of the most beautiful poems that you've written. You have done your brother honor by having written this for him.

I'm sure there will be a beautiful light awaiting his crossing over and an even more beautiful One to receive him. Thank you, Elsie, for giving us all hope.

Very beautiful to read. A conversation with yourself. It must be awful to see your brother this way. The poem says it all though.

This brought tears to my eyes, and hope to my heart. I'm sure this is what your brother will find at the end of his fall.

This is a beautiful poem, Elsie. A wonderful tribute to your brother. I always like to believe that when the time comes the angels or someone we love really does meet us and help us through the way. I'm sending a hug your way. And hug yourself too. You are a strong, sensitive woman. You can get through this.

Beautiful Elsie. I love the last two stanzas. Peace to your brother and to you..

This poem is beautiful and so real, Elsie. Hugs to you and to your brother...

I never really know what to say in situations like this, but for what it's worth, I'm here if you need an ear/shoulder.

Oh my dear friend, this was so beautiful and I was
touched deeply by this poem you wrote for your
brother. You are truly an angel Elsie. May God be
with your brother and lead him home. I pray for
you, your brother and his son, family too. You do
write so many beautiful things Elsie. Thank You.
Hugs n' Love Barbara

Almost like CAESAR in CLEOPATRA...

So powerfully touching yet gripping to the soul.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Elsie.

Just hope when the end comes; it's swift and painless as he's suffered enough mentally with his disease. My father suffered for many years, but when it was time to go, he went to the hospital and passed within 8 hours. Though there was some pain, medications took care of that...and he wanted to go. It was something he had dreamed of when he was still able to think and reason.

It must be so difficult to watch his progression into darkness. I pray he will be in the light and in peace.

There are really two issues here Elsie.
How God holds your brother's hand...and how you accept God's infinite wisdom.
It's a time when your ability to trust in God will be tested to the maximum.

I think that the power of love will reach your brother even through the haze of Alzheimers. Even it it's just a trace but some of it will reach his heart.

The God who made the Heavens and the Earth,
Has surely heard your sincere plea,
A place is saved inside Heaven's Gates,
A place that your brother is meant to be.

Do not be sorrowful or grieve,
When his life on earth is done,
For he's be in a better place,
And a new life, for him, will have begun.


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wow, that is really an elegaic and beautiful, if not difficult poem to mread. I'm so sorry for your brother and family. I hpe he finds rest soon

Elsie, this is such a beautiful poem for your Brother. I pray that he finds peace from this terrible ordeal soon that only Heave can bring.

How beautiful and aching, Elsie. I hope it doesn't really feel like a fall into darkness for your brother, though of course that is how it seems as we watch. My own Mama died of Alzheimers, but for some reason I always thought that as her physical brain faded into darkness, something else in her--maybe her soul or spirit--something we could see or perceive, rose into a brighter light. And when she was absent to us, she was present in that Divine Light. My sister and I were with her at the moment of her death, holding her hands. She opened her eyes that had been really quite dull for a long time--and the light was there. We both saw it, and we saw it sort of "lift" from her and disappear.

What a wonderful poem. Always remember the good times with your brother.

Dear Elsie you are a loving sister and this poem dedicated to your brother shows how much you understand and love him..

I find this poem as a prayer to God ...Hope he finds rest and peace ..

That was a beautiful poem, I am so sorry you have to go through such a tough time again, Elsie. I will be thinking of your family.

Elsie this was beautiful. I am so sorry that you have to endure the heartbreak of losing yet another family member sweetie. Just know that he will be at peace after the long battle he has had. My grandma has alzheimers and it is a horrible disease. Take care Elsie, we're all here for you.

I see hope in your ode to him. I have a friend who had a daughter die of cancer. He is a tough old buzzard, but when it comes to that part of his life, he said, "There comes a time when you pray that they will live, and then there comes that time when you pray for their death." Yeah.

I'm sorry to hear about your brother, Elsie. Your poem is heartfelt.

Your poem is beautiful and heartwarming. I know what you are going through with Alzheimer's. My mother had it for 15 years when she finally passed. The most bittersweet moment was when I introduced my husband to my family. My mother was trying to pick up my husband, which if you knew my mother that was just the way she was. She was a flirt but also a wonderful woman. When I went to leave that night she said it was nice to meet me and that I must have had wonderful parents because I was so nice. It ripped the heart out of my chest when I said that yes, I had the best parents. It still makes me emotional to think about it. I am not able to write about her yet but if you ever need to talk I am here.


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Elsie, This was a beautiful poem. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

tremendous poem I will keep you and yours in my blessings hope love and charity the most important hope..................you can hope for the other 2

The description of his feelings from your perspective is what gives this poem feeling. From despair it ends with a ray of hope. This was a difficult write, but excellent in the richness of description.

Sorry about your brother, Elsie, I will pray for him and you on my weekend. It was an excellent poem and where I fear to be one day.

My mother had altzheimers and didn't know it. She felt bad for Ronald Reagan when they mentioned he had it on tv. She didn't remember much and I tried to remind her of various things. I told her how she was a college graduate, had two daughters, had a fiance die on her. I thought it might trigger her memory. She asked me how I knew and I would tell her that she had told me. It was hard when she didn't know me at first, but she was much nicer to me when she didn't know who I was. As her altzheimers worsen she was less bitter and didn't seem to be as effected by the pain of her rheumatoid arthritis which crippled her body. She constantly had me fixing her pillows and moving her around to try to make her more comfortable and that lessened when she was worse. At one point she had decided to not go to the living room to sit in her lift chair and stayed in bed. One day when my Dad was out, I brought her out to the lift chair. She was fine with it as she forgot her decision to stay in bed. My Dad was delighted to have her back out in the living room again. See he granted her her wishes and figured that was it. If she hadn't been so physically debilitated the altzheimers would have been more difficult for us to care for her as she would have been mobile. I think it was a blessing that she didn't realize over the years that she was losing her mind. For me, she would say I love you and that meant the world to me. With her bitterness gone, she was a delight to know and take care of. I enjoyed the time I had with her those last few years. The alzheimers I think kept her from some of the torment of the arthritis. The most difficult event I had with her was when she had a heart attack and her nitro didn't work. By the time the paramedics came she forgot what happened and couldn't give answers. It took a while for them to understand the situation but they did get her to the hospital in time.

Elsie, bless you & your brother...what a lovely & heartfelt poem...I'm sure his is in God's hands and so are you. With much respect & admiration, mo-zy

You have such a lovely way with words Elsie. Your heart always shines through in your writing.
Blessings to you and your brother. May he find peace at last.

I hope your brother finds peace soon, Elsie. I'll pray for you both...

WOW, I just don't know what to say, I cry and I cry for you. This is so very sad yet so very beautiful and hopeful too.

Oh, ELsie, what a touching description of the nightmare Alzheimers patients must endure! I can't see to type for the tears. You understand you brother so very well, and he is blessed to have you for his sister.

Elsie, I'm so sorry! What a wonderful way you have of expressing things. I wish I'd had these words 10 years ago to read at my late father-in-law's service. He was met by Dementia, of which Alzheimer's is one derivative, and things were never the same. We joke that we all get Old Timer's Disease or CRS Disease as we age, but these diseases are real and leave us worn and withered as we try to help and to come to grips with what happens to the bodies and minds of our loved ones. I have 2 arms to hold you and 2 shoulders for your tears if you need them.

Debi, bless you!

God took my brother in his arms tonight about an hour ago, I am sad for his family, but happy for him. God Bless you Larry