What Price Your Dignity

I watched on helplessly
His decline was steep
That brilliant mind
And arms so strong
The choice to go
Not his to make
So who is responsible?
And where were they?
Would you be brave enough...
For a life to take?

We pray for mercy
To die in our sleep
But that isn't real
For those who cannot speak
Their voices lost
And the right to choose
Their terms taken away
With only one thing left to lose
What price your dignity?
To not be remembered like this

His memory reverting
A childhood reclaimed
As I spoke to him
Just a boy to his dad
But he knew not me
As his suspicion grew
Asking...
“How do you know about my family?“
“I'm your son," I said

Dementia takes away more
Than just the memories
If I asked him before
Before any of this
What would you choose?
Would he have chosen this?
Because I know I won't
I want my children to see
Better to go with pride
And with dignity
So they won't go through
What I had to

A man who was brilliant
Condemned...yet committed no crime
Against a society
Whose compassion is misaligned
We give our pets more
Than we do our own kin
And for that, we should be ashamed
As I was ashamed for him

He hated that place
Escaping three times
But only twice they brought him back
Before he was freed from his binds
I didn't know how to feel
Was it wrong to feel relief?
I wouldn't let an animal suffer
But I had to watch him
I pray you never see