Zombies

I now know where zombies come from, for I have seen one with my own eyes. The shell of a human staggering about, the body and mind no longer in conversation. There is real fear in this unholy image, more fear even than in old black-and-white movies full of screams, or in their modern-day counterparts. Is it a fear of death or a fear of this non-death and non-life stage, where there is no growth and only a slow decay, a sick and twisted existence? To be not whole, but not gone, is a terrifying theme in movies. In real life it brings paralyzing fear to all around. Can anything be done to stop the deterioration of mind, body, and spirit? It seems unlikely. The zombie must remain in this frightening limbo and those around are frozen in time until the limbo is broken, usually a terrifying and heartbreaking event as well. Whether recovery, either for the zombie or for those around her, is possible, I am not certain. I can only hope that the zombie will grasp a little more light and life, if only to quit the zombie likeness for a moment.

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Author's Note: This was written about my mother, who is very ill. Sometimes it can be very stressful and scary to take care of her. I have seen so many live nightmares in caring for her and she literally looks like a zombie sometimes, both in pallor and in attitude.

This was in my blog, but I thpught I'd add it here since some of you have read my poem on the same subject, "Fear."