Even in angelic times
even in a Tolkien-like Community such as ours
aging still meets isolation
and decrepitude pierces the solitary veil

A neighborhood story arose
under "The Best of Community"
often fostering great presence
of charitable goodness
as humanity again is touched and local acts of nobility
are witnessed as neighbor's tenderness shines -
such is the tale, I, a troubadour, here present

A woman had become
a world-class citizen
and sanctified her cultural heritage of
art, architecture, textiles, pottery
photography, poetry -
she collected all with zeal

But unable to inhabit
the confines that go with marriage,
she dwelled elsewhere
with equally loyal vows
in a semblance of a Spiritual Constitution

An aging professor, whose objets d'art
had become both her identity and children,
she was slipping from her shadow of life
entering the twelve leagues of darkness
arising at midnight as her neighbors watched
and slowly circled to buoy her
as one does a drowning victim

With little fanfare, with kind soft eyes
they saw the unraveling of a proud life,
unlettered but with
capable and durable hands
they knew there was much work to be done -

Meals on Wheels
medical appointments
bags of unanswered mail,
threats of services being shut-off
delinquent mortgage payments
and the stench
that accompanies old age

The old woman was growing cantankerous
even combative, accusing
in righteous sanctimonious tones
her adopted team
of stealing her food
out of confusion and despair,
but they were not dissuaded

Not weeks, nor months, but four years of toil
and simple dedication they drew from their skills
to organize, document, categorize, file and preserve
as they knew she was frightened and her memorabilia
were her familiar, her map to the stars -
her way home

As she mustered to barely trust these faces,
these invaders and soldiers of service that
occupied her maelstrom of destitution
who were never blown off-course but
gave, held, protected and advocated as only
Community can do

Their story is both small yet touches the
profound reaches of gratitude

The old woman now lives in a Memory Unit
having made the terrifying transition that her
team-of-cobblers saw her through,
helping to sell her home
with the proceeds supporting her care
they come now with their big and shining faces
to visit in unrecognizable fashion
they hold their unspoken ways
as humble dignified neighbors,
such is the true nobility of the
moment

P. Gregory Guss
July 2022