A Reflection of Greatness

          The silkiness of his skin, disguising his age

          A menagerie of words exposes his dementia

          A staunch man, provider, equitable to greatness

          His voice like Hancock’s signature, no one questions

          A blank stare positioned on his face, a desire to reflect

          He stumbled, as his crawl became a walk, encouraged

          Gifted, he attended school at an early age

          His parents relishing the moment, reflect

          Unaware of his grandfather’s dementia

          Also filled with questions

          Once a man in the vein of his grandson, bursting of greatness

          Authoritative, secure in his greatness

          A professor, his students now encouraged

          Seek out solutions, always asking questions

          Experience with life more respectful, surpassing age

          Wisdom colliding with confusion, clouds of dementia

          In the mirror’s glass he can reflect

          In his favorite chair, his grandson perched, he can reflect

          His accomplishment caught in the bellows of his cigar’s greatness

          He fears his father’s forgetfulness a touch of dementia

          A great man, survivor, he is encouraged

          One thing that can not stop the old guy is “old age”

          His surety enveloped by the many questions

          Confronting his greatest fear, he has a flurry of questions

          His tired eyes closed, an attempt to reflect

          Each child, an adult, he recognizes his age

          Age quietly surpassed his greatness

          “Why?” he asks his wife, must he be encouraged

          A knock at his cerebral door, dementia

          It crept up in the night, robbing him, dementia

          No longer logic in reasoning, or sense in his questions

          His children cry, no longer encouraged

          Through his son’s eyes, his way to reflect

          His voice an ambassador of his father’s greatness

          No relevancy to life found in his age

          He relies on other’s to ask his many questions

          A lack of familiarity, tears well, they reflect

          Life a full circle, who is encouraged?