At the official launch of The Forget Me Notes Project, in April 2018, Ian Laurence, one of our trustees, read a poem that he wrote about his wife, Ann, who is living with Alzheimer’s. They have both been a part of the Forget Me Notes choir for many years. He has kindly given us permission to reproduce it here:

We walk together, you and I

But you see things through a different eye

You talk about things incessantly

But … you never really talk about me.

Am I hurt?  I guess I am

But then I understand

That Alzheimer’s is a hellish disease,

That I have no right to be displeased.

What goes on in that mind of yours

I guess I’ll never know.

I remember most things

That we enjoyed:

The birth of our boys;

Weddings and births of family close;

Our parties with our many friends;

Those memories will be with me until the end.

But your memory ain’t what it used to be

And I wonder, do you still remember me?

Then a song I start to sing

Brings your memory back

You sing, you laugh, you smile

And I can walk that extra mile.

That smile, that laugh, that silly comment,

It brings our memories back.

That song, that moment, that laugh, that smile,

It will always bring me back

And I can run that extra mile.