Aricept Poem by Shane Markie

When the neurologist asks
if he hallucinates, my father nods.
Yes all the time. This is new.
In previous appointments,
I have had to gently supply examples,

to not shame him but illuminate just so
for the sake of proper care. There is
no way to balance this.
She advises going without the memory
medicine for one week to see,

then moving it to the morning to see.
He nods. He does not see. He does not
want to do this because although
last night there was a snake in his bed
the night before it was my mother.