I am Shannon's mother. I am sending you this poem that my daughter wrote for her gramma. I feel very honored, as a mother, to have a daughter who would take the time to express her feelings through a poem written about her Gramma.

This really has touched my heart, and know it will touch yours also. Shannon's gramma has Alzheimer's.

This poem originally was published in Poems on Life - Family Poems

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My Grandmother
by Shannon Vanderstelt
As I look into my Grandmother's eyes
I seem to feel a bit surprised
She sits there in her silly old chair
Clicking her heels, it's too much to bear

See she can't walk, sing, or speak
She is thin and looks very weak
It saddens me to see her so
That life has brought her to a terrible low

She can remember a little from the past
But the present goes by way too fast
She knows her daughter and sons you'll see
It's hard for her to remember me

I wish I knew how she was feeling
Maybe there are secrets she is concealing
I wonder what goes through her mind
As she sits there in a bind

Speak to me Gram; wake out of your trance
Please get up, move, or dance
I want to see again the sparkle in your eyes
Because I know that's where the truth lies

You used to sing the Gospel with this glorious tune
Tomorrow to hear you sing was never too soon
You saved so many lost souls everyday
Taught them about God and all he has to say

You were so strong, mighty, and bold
Your life was too short to already been sold
I miss hearing you sing and pray
The hours are cutting short, it could be any day

I want you back sound body and mind
I wish there were a key I could find
To bring you back out of this state
Oh why did this have to be your fate

This must have been God's very plan
To watch you grow and see your wings span
You've served him right from the start
He welcomes you to his home and heart

My love for you will never die
I will hold your Sparkle in my eye
I know I'll be singing with you someday soon
Walking through the gates of heaven,
singing the same glorious tune
© 1999 Shannon Vanderstelt Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
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42 Visitor Comments (from the Voting form)
  • D
    the words were jus so magical it's like it had me in a trance myself, wishing that her grandma would be able to read or hear this poem.
  • margaret
    this poem reminded me of my great-grandma. it is a very sad poem, but "it touched my heart. "
  • Gail
    Great poem
  • Kim
    I really liked this poem. It brought tears to my eyes. My grandmother passed away Nov. 14 2005 and she was more of a mother to me then my own mom. The part that you wrote (Speak to me Gram; wake out of your trance Please get up, move, or dance I want to see again the sparkle in your eyes Because I know that's where the truth lies) I tried to get my grandma to come out of a deep sleep she was in. I was always trying to get her to get up and open her eyes. She would for about 30 seconds and that was it. It was then that I realized she was ready to go. So I whispered in her ear that I understnad if she is wanting to go that it is ok and that I will help take care of grandpa. I also told her to go be with our other family that had passed away adn that Iwould seeh er again someday. It was the next day that she passed away.
  • melanie
    Your poem was beautiful. I reminded me of how my children felt when their grandmother was ill. She is now in heaven too but will always be in our hearts.
  • zoila
    This poem has touch me so deeply, my grandmother just passed and every word made me think of her and cry. This poem was written from the heart!
  • lori
    hello, i just wanted to say good poem it remember me of my dad because he had that n he dead from it.
  • Nathan
    i take care of my grandmother now and shes in the same state of mind. Your poem was beautiful.
  • Denise
    My grandmother is slowly going through the stages,and I am afraid to see her that way. I love her so much, we just gotta make sure they know that all the time. I hope Shannon knows she has a beautiful way of expressing herself. Thanx for sharing your poem,Keep writing.
  • jeanette
    I work in a nursing home. Over half our people are affected by az. It's painful; bittersweet to know where all those changes lead to.
  • Shawna
    This poem really touched me because I have seen my best friend go through the death of her grnadmother this year. Her grandmother is everything that the author described but she had cancer and not alzheimer's. Her grandfather has alzheimer's though. I will share this poem with her and it will more than likely touch her in the same way that it has touched me.
  • Kelly
    My grandma just died last week in my arms. As she was taking her last breaths i asked her to hold on for 5 minutes so that my mom could say goodbye, she did. your poem was wonderful. Thank you
  • Ian
    Many thanks i have a Gran who is terminally ill with Cancer. I have grown up with knowing my Grandmother well and she has her last Birthday on Saturday. I will send her a nice card with this poem in just to let her know how i feel. It is a funny thing life in general, we dont realise how precious life is until someone close is taken away. Many thanks for this poem it touched me and will help my Gran know how i feel.
  • Tessa
    This poem made me realize how much My grandmother really means to me. It made have a wonderful app. for my grandmother.
  • sylvia
    it was great to see so much love from a child to there grandmom. my grand kids ane i are so close. i have a illness & they are what keeps me goings. just to see there little faces everday when they get home from school, so even though she cannot talk i can assure you just to see you each day is what keep her going. god bless you & your family
  • Erika
    That was a nice poem It's reminds me my Grandmother.
  • Summer
    This poem is so sweet! It made me cry, thinking of how much I love my grandmother also. I can relate to the author. And I wish her and her family well.
  • Chris
    Shannon, I wish I had words to express how much this poem touched my heart. My Mother has had Alzhemimers since 1997. She was a good Christain woman and loved the lord with all her heart. I lost my Mom this pass week and I wanted to find the perfect poem for her, Shannon, that poem was yours. The message and the meaning was so very true. Thank-you for sharing your thoughts with us, it truly touch my heart and soul. God Bless You.
  • Rhea
    This is a very good describtion of a grandmother. Not necessary all but it was very well writen
  • carmela
    i love the poem soooo much. it touches every nerve in my body!
  • steve
    That was so Beautiful, I'm so sorry to hear about your Gram. Love Hurts.
  • Roshini
    I took excerpts of this poem for my own Grand ma. Thanks for sharing this. It's great.
  • Lynne
    This poem touched me. I have been through a similar situation over the last 12 years with my grandmother. The reason I came across the poem is that I am trying to find a fitting poem to read when we bury her next to my grandfather, who died 20 years ago and never knew this other side of her. You made me cry, I miss my grandma too, ALOT! Even though she did not know me for the last several years of her life.
  • kim
    wounderful poem today was my grandmothers funeral and this poem is just how i feel for her thank you! i miss you grandma and i love you always!
  • KERRY
    i never usually write any comments about the poems or things i read on the interent but this has to be the most truley emotional poem i have ever read in my life. thank you for sharing it with me
  • Lauren
    You truley have a gift,your poem reminded my of my grandmother who died of alshimers
  • mike
    unreal. thanks
  • Devon
    I just want to say that this poem really hits home. My grandma is going through the same state. I have been taking care of her for a year now and it hurts to see her this way. You poem expresses alot on how some one could feel about this and I have to day you have done a great job!
  • Reinier
    love this poem.......
  • stacy
    this is a really good poem.. i liked it alot =)
  • C.K
    Very touching !!
  • julie
    I just lost my gram on thursday, this poem reminded me of her. thank You!
  • Rita
    Very beautiful!!!!!
  • chantel
    very touching.
  • Beverly
    This poem is very nice,it reminds me of my Grandmother alot because she past away this morning and i loved her alot.
  • Barbara
    Shannon, your poem hits home so deeply , your poem really really reminds me of my grandmother who has Alsimers (sorry for spelling) its hard for me to go and see her, I can't handle seeing her the way she is.I loved your poem.Thank You
  • Dawne
    I love this poem it hit my heart with the rememberance of my grandmother who used to sing and pray all the time I lost her almost 3 years ago but my love for her will always remain the same!
  • Sonya
    Your poem is very grasping. It reaches one's inner sole. Continue to write!
  • Jenna
    I really loved this poem, it really hit home. It told exactly how I feel, my grandma is in a nursing home and she used to do all sorts of things and now its like she's there physically, but not spiritually or mentally, she's not the same. I just wanted to say that she did an awesome job on this poem
  • jenny
    i really liked that! :) *we all love and miss our grandmas!
  • Julie
    This was well written and I gather the author is a reasonalbly young person. I can relate to this for I recently laid my grandma to rest after spending 2+ years in this state.
  • Gayla
    This poem was written by my daughter. She is very gifted and God has certainly given her talent in writing poems. I love you sweetheart. Love Mom
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