The final line from each stanza from Billy Collins’ “Fortgetfulness”
Original DDE™ art: “Losing Traction” by: rob kistner © 1/22/26
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forgetting begins as a kindness — you’d soon like to go away
a soft eraser rubbed lightly at the edge of every day
names loosening their grip on familiar faces
home and car keys laid down in too many odd ball places
a sentence abandoned — unlanded… unfinishd slack
staring blankly in the street — where’d I park the vehicle
days filled with ghosts of almost’s – that’ never go away
the mind-glitching pause… not empty — just off track
whose memories are slippery-slidin — slick as a girkin pickle
who have even forgotten how to swim… and how to ride a bicycle
its thoughts widening slowly, not like loss — but like distance
like a field once crossed — now unrecognized from a hill
visions that once drove us — now just no longer will
stories repeated absent-mindedly until we’re not certain why
details thinning — leaving only vague facts without feeling
recall how her voice sounded — not how much she knows
the instincts remembering before the mind goes
step by careful step — less recollection each time
the future left swinging open like a door that should close
well on your own way to oblivion where you will join those
for whom even the names of their children get blurred
dates soften into seasons — seasons into light
the past is a handful of tones and textures — a lil’ bit’a fright
a dark lamp in a window — title of that song you just heard
something important you were meant to carry
but set down ‘cause it was heavy — fearing it’d fall
language itself grows hesitant — syllables stumble n’stall
meaning drifting ahead without effective explanation
like somebody in a flashback you don’t recognize at all
whose name begins with an “L” — as far as you can recall
no need to feel remorse — say wha… oh yes — of course
no need to hold back — no need to retrieve the “what for”
the mind’s traveling lighter than it ever has before
floating free of lists — passwords — no anniversaries
carried by an instinct older than most memories
older than fears that once made you shiver
forgetting is not failure — it’s peace… why deny it
not erasure — not loss — it’s chaos now made quiet
no resistance or regret — gone… every sliver
it has floated away — down a dark mythological river
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rob kistner © 1/22/26
A homerun! Amazing poem that articulates memory loss articulately and iromically, reassuringly. I get seizures and oftentimes my lapses in and out remind me of places, people, events; I instinctually know but have forgot. And I loved the irony of your music selection.
Thank you Cara. At 80, I have occasional brief lapses of memory — but thankfully my deductive and creative logic are both solidly intact. It is my lapses that I explored for inspiration to write this piece. I’m not wholly satisfied with the result here. “Form” based poetry is not my most enjoyable way to write. My preferred poetic expression is more spontaneous. But this was interesting, so it will be a future rewrite for me.
A stunning poem, Rob, which resonates with me, especially the ‘soft eraser rubbed lightly at the edge of every day’ and ‘a sentence abandoned — unlanded… unfinished slack’ – and the rhyming of ‘pickle’ and ‘bicycle’, which reminded me of Arlo Guthrie’s Motorcycle Song.
I thank you sincerely my friend,!
I know what still lies before me… I saw it in my mother but never in my father… I hope I can stay sharp and fit for some years to come.
Keep doing creative writing Björn. My poetry and art have kept my deductive, creative, and overall cognitive functions at a high level. My body id breaking down big time, with my multiple chronic challenges, but my mind is still strong — other than the frustrating occasional brief moments of memory lapse — but that is not chronic increasing permanent memory loss. The brain is a “muscle” that must be continually exercised. Use it or lose it, as they say! 😉 Reading helps, but that is not as intricate and complex a mental rigor as writing and creating art. Keep being you my friend!
Rob, written as only you could. You bring truth and reflection into this piece of poetry. I have to admit I felt sad as it must be a difficult stage of life yet, you continue to write and create and that is amazing my friend and so are you. (hugs)
Thank you True, very much. There are good days and bad days— but on the bad days I can often escape fully into writing poetry and creating art. When I am in that zone there is no pain. It’s really amazing. When I come out of it though, reality is still waiting for me — but hey, I’ve had 80 years… 🙂
Keep on, keeping on Rob let your poetry and art create a place of peace. I thought of asking you if I could borrow 4 lines from one of your poems for this prompt. I do admire your work, my friend.
Thank you, and I would have said yes True. Honored that you even considered my friend… 🙂
This is extraordinary. I love the acceptance you arrive at in the end. Particularly these words: “ no need to retrieve the “what for”
the mind’s traveling lighter than it ever has before
floating free of lists — passwords — no anniversaries
carried by an instinct older than most memories”
I truly enjoyed reading this. Thank you.
You are most welcome Selma! I appreciate your kind words… 🙂
This is amazing, Rob! That whole third stanza was incredible.
Think you so much Sara… 🙂
Such a wonderful, beautiful write, Rob! A very reflective piece.
Thank,you very much Punam… 🙂
Both playful and a little sad at the same time. Finding rhymes for bicycle would have put me off using these lines but you did it! Nice one Rob ?
Thank you shaun, took me a moment to but I set myself the challenge — and I got there! 😉