Recognising Love by Jenny Lane (Lucent Dreaming Issue 8)

It’s true you forgot
about the woman you were
about us, about everything
—but you remembered to smile.

We saw it in the sunken jowls,
the toothless cheeks,
the way your head sank and your back curved,
when you saw but could not see.

It was your tiny frame
curled into a chair, motionless
heavy-lidded and restful.
Remembering was tiring work.

It was almost funny when,
in clans of four at a time,
you would wake for visitors
to find eight tear-blinking eyes

begging you to see us.
We knew you’d forgot
and somehow you knew too.
It was the little smile,

the ‘It’s okay’ beam, shiny and pink,
the ‘I know why you’re here, not who you are.’
It was the way you let us, strangers,
kiss the top of your head

and I breathed in that smell
that made me think of Mum.
We knew you’d forgot
but you still let us say, ‘Love you, Grandma.’

Jenny Lane currently lives in Coventry as is due to start an MA in Professional Creative Writing. Jenny began writing at around eleven years old, winning first place in a short story competition at school. Jenny’s writing revolves around contemporary issues and social concern. Jenny is currently working on a novella highlighting the importance of combating mental health.

Buy issue 8 today.

Lucent Dreaming is an independent creative writing magazine publishing beautiful, imaginative and surreal short stories, poetry and artwork from emerging authors and artists worldwide. Our aim is to encourage creativity and to help writers reach publication! Subscribe to Lucent Dreaming now, support us on Patreon and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.