In Midnight Confessions, poet Joy Olree, a self-described autistic poet with MS, presents a collection of user-friendly verse reflecting on her experiences with the world and her readings and studies of the Bible. She offers her opinions on a wide range of topics and invites disagreement and discussion.

Midnight Confessions

In the twinkling of an eye they came, the memory snatchers.

First it was the short-term memories, then the medium ones.

As time went by, more memories seem to leave, but she never

forgot her God and she never did not pray. I put my hand on

her bed as she breathed her last breath. I prayed, "Thank you,

Lord, for making it possible for me to be there."

As I sit here in the lighted room, the dark outside, I miss my

stepmom. Tomorrow is Christmas, a time of celebration, and I

think to myself, Do I have anything to celebrate? Most of my

family has died. I still have the children and the grandchildren.

I guess I am blessed, and is that not the way of life? Us older

folks die, and the young take our place, unless there is some

unforeseen unexpected tragedy.

But I have much to be thankful for this Christmas. See, because

of my decision to take care of my stepmom at the nursing home,

I now have a new set of friends. A nursing home full of friends.

Thank you, stepmom and God, for making this possible.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, humanity.