Dementia is discussed and written about more widely than ever before. A notable and enthusiastic compiler, Killick (Weeks, 2010) has previously produced anthologies of dementia poems, and his work generates much discussion and considerable admiration. Now another personalised collection can be added to that impressive canon.
Brindle's paperback, written predominantly in poetry form, adds to the range of recorded experiences already available, and is an important addition, generating information through a series of reflections. He notes that his writings developed from both note-taking and observation at his mother's bedside, within her excellent (which is always nice to have acknowledged) care home.
He also weaves spoken phrases and statements: italicised – for identification purposes – within the body of his poems, and draws on aspects of dialogue and conversation, of things said and things left unsaid.
This might be seen to raise questions about awareness, insight, and whatever inconsistencies the experience of dementia might have for any individual. As noted in the Introduction, having misidentified her son any number of times, such lapses:
[…] were sometimes interspersed with observations of stunning clarity and perception. I could never be sure what kind of thoughts were present in her mind from one moment to the next and so we played bizarre and amusing games with our histories and our personas […]
And the point is that only authentic exchanges between immediate family members who share the same history can draw out such fascinating insights.
Seasons passing are reflected in the garden, visible through a care home room window. Given the subject matter, the tone of the poems varies between darkness and light. Nevertheless, as a document it reflects the experiences of two people and may well generate debates about how we perceive – and perhaps more importantly, how others appear to react to, and live, within the confines of dementia.
The cover shows an adaptation from a Paul Klee image, which seems to capture the bizarre and amusing, as alluded to earlier. Eye-catching cover art sometimes deflect attention from the content of a book. That is not the case here, where a journey towards the end of life is recorded with some clarity and purpose.
