I connected really well to this poem “Death,” written by Jose Montes. As I read this poem it reminded me of my great grandmother Pauline who had passed away this summer. Growing up I never knew that she had Alzheimer’s. Until I reached the age of 13, and understood what Alzheimer’s was about and how much it changes the person. Before the end of freshman year, everything got so bad to a point where I told her “I hate you,” without even remembering that it was the disease taking over. The year and a half that I helped my yama Carol take care of grandmother, was the hardest. As I look back growing up, Pauline was the mother bear, making sure that the cubs didn’t fight or that we were all safe. She wasn’t afraid of anything and always protected the young ones. Everyone in the family called her “mama,” so she wouldn’t be confused about whom we were. I didn’t tell her everyday “I love you mom”. Why? I always thought that since she was sick that she was going to leave soon and I would be heartbroken. I wish I could have told her “I love you mom” more often. But I didn’t and I can’t change what I said or could have or should have said. What I have to live with is her being gone and I have to except the fact that I can’t change anything, the past is the past. But just because you tell someone you love them and they pass away, doesn’t mean that you have to be heartbroken, you still have the same love for them as if they were sitting right next to you telling you “I love you”. All I have left is great
memories I had shared my great grandmother. I remember her for all the good times and bad times that I can laugh about now and remember how she was and not how she layed there as death came knocking on the door.