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Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Rose

By Lois Cochran of Guitar Grandma

Rose doesn’t talk any more

Really?

The last time I saw her she talked

And sang with me, smiling; even laughing

Showing her many missing teeth

But not today. Today Rose doesn’t talk any more

Says the care-taker on duty

With a finality that troubles me

Rose’s head hangs low, almost resting on her chest

Eyes half closed, seemingly disinterested

Maybe lost altogether. . . but maybe not

I touch her hand and kneel before her

Rose, don’t you want to sing today?

She can’t hear me, or won’t

We’ll sing some of your favorite songs, Rose

Her eyes close

I strum the guitar and begin to sing

Oh, Susanna, Ain’t She Sweet, My Bonnie, Just a Closer Walk

Finally, Jesus loves me, this I know. . .

Rose lifts her head and smiles at me

I love you, she says.


[INVITATION: All elders, 50 and older, are welcome to submit stories for this blog. They can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, etc. Instructions for submitting are here.]

Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post

Comments

Lois, I read this earlier in the week on your blog. What a beautiful piece. Thank you for writing it and sharing it with us.

Music touches elders in a way that words cannot. I played the piano in a nursing home during their lunch break and the diners would start tapping their feet or nodding their heads in time to the music. Before I played they were apathetic. It made me feel good to see the reaction that music instilled. Their smiles was my reward.

So beautiful and right to the point. That smile and those words - so touching and rewarding!

Oh, Lois. Brought tears to my eyes. Yours too I imagine.

My sister, whose middle name is Rose, has Alzheimers disease and barely speaks anymore. But she remembers old songs and sometimes hums them.

Oh! I cried reading this! How touching and important and connecting music is! Thank you for posting it.

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