A little of both in a found poem. For my mom. (A rough draft.)

My mom is on the front steps.

She's been there for two hours my dad says.
She won't move and I don't care anymore.

I say Hello Mom and walk by,
not sure if she knows who I am
though she seems to recognize me
from a deeper place.

Dad's exhausted, I can tell
and angry.
I understand.
I am exhausted and angry too.

She won't get up in the morning he says
and once I get her in the shower she won't come out. 
Or get dressed. 

So goes my dad's day.
Battle after battle after battle
with a woman he still loves
but doesn't know anymore.

I listen to the laundry list of complaints
injustices
hardships.
Offer no suggestions.

I walk to my mom and try to get her up off the steps.
Come on Mom, I whisper,
One, two, three, upsie daisy. 
She rises on legs wobbling like a newborn foal's.

Holding tightly to each other
we shuffle together to her chair.
This is the new mother daughter dance
shuffle, shuffle, pull, pull.
Until we are there
Five feet in five minutes.
Zoom, zoom.


OK Mom, sitting down now, One, two...
She's down on two,
the sneaky devil!

Do you know who I am Mom?
Your daughter, Jessica. 

I imagine she smiles a little
nodding her head.
As she sits there so still
I hold her hand
she doesn't let go.