I cannot, I cannot do this or do that,

climb a set of stairs, I used to be able,

unbelievable ability, parallel bars,

fifteen marathons a year, 

Times crossword in under one hour,

now I just cannot, my mind talks to itself, 

abstract conversations between three and five people, 

all had names, all become forgotten, either today or tomorrow, 

I still cannot do what I once did, even with help,

so what can I do, I can read, warm some soup,

I can, but do not wash or dress to go out, what is the point,

the point is as a child, I could not,

now as an old disabled person, I  cannot,

I loved those inbetween years,

four or five to possibly seventy, the energy, enthusiasm, 

then it happened, it happened, 

but I can never remember when, 

dementia, a word to fear, DEMENTIA....