Familiar Faces

by N J Thornton   Nov 23, 2005


Seeing familiar faces become distant,
Old names depart my mind.
No memories of long ago,
Show I'm completely blind.
Not in the sense of sightless,
More that I have forgot it all,
Those feelings of love and loss,
I find so hard to recall.
Sitting alone I wonder why,
Then my mind slips away,
Feeling useless to the world,
More and more everyday.
No one else knows this feeling,
Of not knowing who you are,
Only that you're not you,
Even though it sounds bizarre.
Help feels so degrading,
By a child wearing uniform.
Many experiences I could share,
From within my mindless storm.
I need someone to talk to...
Tell me are we friends or foe?
Do you know who I am, dear?
Because I'd really love to know.

**This poem is written in the eyes of someone living with dementia. There is a hidden message with this poem that several previous readers have missed, and I feel this is down to me, the writer. Keep this fact in mind and if you find it, let me know. I'll give you a clue...it's about the subject/person writing the poem. Please leave feedback.**

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Latest Comments

  • 18 years ago

    by Naima

    WOW I'm not sure if I got the hidden message but that poem was great!!!!

  • 18 years ago

    by firexflys

    I am not sure if this is right or not but i'll say it anyways. it seems to me it's liek you have memories of the past and people in it but the familiar faces are distant because the peopl really dont know who you are, and as you get deeper in to it you show that no one knows you not even your self but you long for some one too. well that what i kinda got out of it i guess the way you made it there might be ways for the poem to relate to other things and not just what you made it for. but thats just me nice job keep up ther good work

  • 18 years ago

    by xX-jess-Xx

    This poem is awesome. when i read it through the second time knowing about the dementia, i read it in a whole new context. I was just wondering how you got the idea for this poem...its a great one. if someone in your family suffers from it, im truely sorry.
    This poem is a great write though! jesxx

  • 18 years ago

    by master of shadow

    This i s avery good poem. it must be terriable to life like that with all your memorys slipping away, all knowledge of your past and therefore of who you are.

    this is a great poem.

  • 18 years ago

    by Little Dot

    That's horrible to have to live like that everyday. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. It would be as if nothing is worth living for and just being lost in the world.

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