Mural, Chicago; For a Friend with Alzheimer’s

Poetry by Jennifer Brown Banks

MURAL, CHICAGO

Like sloppy graffiti,

The ugliness of violence
Keeps “defacing”
The walls of our town—

The scarlet red
Of bloodshed
Too often being found,

Splattered,
Scattered,
“Tagging”
A  once beautiful
Mighty image—

Inscribing it with
An indelible ink permanence,

History won’t soon forget

FOR A FRIEND WITH ALZHEIMER'S

I don’t know how to rescue you
From the deep valleys of desolation
And frustration,
Of foreign landscapes
Of once familiar things,
Misplaced names
And faces—
How do I restore
Your joy?
Give you back your footing,
Your smile,
Or provide the safety net
That you need
But won’t most times mention?
I wish that I could make you feel safe, whole
Help you put back the missing pieces
To your life’s puzzle,

But for now,
All I can do,

Is love you
Through