What remains
Be fore
the dem –
entia
sets in
com
pletely
I ask her
if she re-
calls
the hit ting:
We’re
sit ting:
Her
hands
in
her
lap:
I re-
member
the house
having to leave
the house I –
be – cause I could n’t stop
hit
ting your sis ter
but she
can’t re-
call
the wood enspoon
and the gidd yanger
and my thin
paja mas
as if the dem
entia
has stole n
that mem
ory
from:
me
in the nicest
way and I won ‘t
have to
live
with her
apolo gy:
I can
just hold her
hand:
soft
and caress her
skin:
loose
knuckles palm
Ed Sage is a writer, teacher, and activist from Portland, Oregon. He lives in Portland with his wife, Kate, and their two children, Oliver and Lillian. Ed’s poetry and nonfiction have been published in ZYZZYVA (under the name Ed Varga, Jr.), Verseweavers, The Portland Review, 4th Street Journal, The Ponder Review, Plainsongs and BULL Lit. He has been considered for a Pushcart. Can be found at edvargasage@gmail.