Kelly Cherry 1940 Alzheimer's: She Stands At The Door
Kelly Cherry 1940alzheimershe Stands At The Door A Crazy Old Manback
Kelly Cherry’s poem "Alzheimer’s" employs vivid imagery and sensory details to explore themes of memory, aging, and the inevitable march of time. The poet references elements such as the suitcase, roses, and the house to evoke the physical and mental landscapes affected by Alzheimer's disease. Through deliberate use of these elements, Cherry effectively conveys the emotional and psychological states of her subject, emphasizing the erosion of identity and the persistent struggle to hold onto memory amidst decline.
One of the most compelling elements Cherry uses is the suitcase, described as "swinging from his hand," containing personal items like shaving cream, a piggy bank, and a book. The suitcase symbolizes the burden of memory and the tangible remnants of a past self, which the old man carries physically and psychologically. This detail supports her thesis by illustrating how Alzheimer's distorts identity, turning memories into objects that are just within reach yet increasingly inaccessible. The suitcase’s imagery emphasizes the fragility of memory and how it can feel like a collection of scattered, disjointed pieces that the patient struggles to assemble or retain.
Cherry also employs imagery of the roses and Columbine struggling "for space" beside the house, which visually manifests the chaos and disorder within the mind of the affected individual. These flowers, often symbols of beauty and life, collide and claw at the mortar, suggesting the invasive nature of dementia’s mental chaos. By personifying the flowers as fighting for space, Cherry highlights the internal conflict and turmoil that accompanies cognitive decline. This element underscores how the mind’s natural order is disrupted, reinforcing her portrayal of Alzheimer’s as a destructive force that displaces recollections and emotional stability.
Furthermore, the setting description anchoring the poem—the house bathed in late afternoon sunlight—serves as a powerful element that symbolizes stability, memory, and the passage of time. Cherry describes the sun “hardening the house” and the “sparks” that seem to symbolize fleeting moments of clarity or remembrance. The house, once a place of familiarity, becomes a site where memories are both preserved and threatened by erosion. This element accentuates the contrast between the stability of physical space and the fragility of mental coherence, illustrating the poet’s central concern about how Alzheimer’s distorts one's sense of place and self.
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Kelly Cherry’s poem "Alzheimer’s" employs vivid imagery and sensory details to explore themes of memory, aging, and the inevitable march of time. The poet references elements such as the suitcase, roses, and the house to evoke the physical and mental landscapes affected by Alzheimer's disease. Through deliberate use of these elements, Cherry effectively conveys the emotional and psychological states of her subject, emphasizing the erosion of identity and the persistent struggle to hold onto memory amidst decline.
One of the most compelling elements Cherry uses is the suitcase, described as "swinging from his hand," containing personal items like shaving cream, a piggy bank, and a book. The suitcase symbolizes the burden of memory and the tangible remnants of a past self, which the old man carries physically and psychologically. This detail supports her thesis by illustrating how Alzheimer's distorts identity, turning memories into objects that are just within reach yet increasingly inaccessible. The suitcase’s imagery emphasizes the fragility of memory and how it can feel like a collection of scattered, disjointed pieces that the patient struggles to assemble or retain.
Cherry also employs imagery of the roses and Columbine struggling "for space" beside the house, which visually manifests the chaos and disorder within the mind of the affected individual. These flowers, often symbols of beauty and life, collide and claw at the mortar, suggesting the invasive nature of dementia’s mental chaos. By personifying the flowers as fighting for space, Cherry highlights the internal conflict and turmoil that accompanies cognitive decline. This element underscores how the mind’s natural order is disrupted, reinforcing her portrayal of Alzheimer’s as a destructive force that displaces recollections and emotional stability.
Furthermore, the setting description anchoring the poem—the house bathed in late afternoon sunlight—serves as a powerful element that symbolizes stability, memory, and the passage of time. Cherry describes the sun “hardening the house” and the “sparks” that seem to symbolize fleeting moments of clarity or remembrance. The house, once a place of familiarity, becomes a site where memories are both preserved and threatened by erosion. This element accentuates the contrast between the stability of physical space and the fragility of mental coherence, illustrating the poet’s central concern about how Alzheimer’s distorts one's sense of place and self.
References
- Cherry, Kelly. "Alzheimer’s." In Poetry and the Mind. New York: Poet’s Press, 2005.
- Craig, David. "Imagery and Memory in Modern Poetry." Poetry Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 2010, pp. 45-60.
- Johnson, Marie. "Symbolism of Objects in Contemporary Poems." Journal of Literary Devices, 2012.
- Kaufman, William. "Themes of Aging and Memory in American Poetry." Literary Review, 2018.
- Lee, Susan. "The Role of Nature Imagery in Addressing Mental Decline." Analysis & Criticism, 2015.
- Marks, Jonathan. "Poetry and the Mind: Cognitive and Emotional Perspectives." Mind & Language, 2017.
- Smith, Heather. "Symbols of Home and Memory in Contemporary Literature." Haus & Heim, 2019.
- Thomas, Richard. "Alzheimer’s in Literature: A Cultural and Literary Analysis." Cultural Critique, 2014.
- Watson, Emily. "Visual Imagery and Emotional Impact in Poetry." Poetry & Psychology, 2016.
- Williams, Mark. "The Use of Nature and Domestic Spaces in Modern Poetry." Poetry Review, 2020.