The Pantoums of Dementia

Contents

The Pantoums of Dementia#

Movement I - Undulation

the seconds slowed to stop as Father passed,
when flocking sons returned to home to mourn,
then Mother’s mind began to break at last
as moments shed in threads she once had worn.

when flocking sons returned to home to mourn,
recast in lensing rays of age amassed
as moments shed in threads she once had worn
the Father’s sons adorned with clothes outcast.

recast in lensing rays of age amassed
a question, Mother, may I have a dance?
the Father’s sons adorned with clothes outcast
an offered hand through loops of time’s expanse.

a question, Mother, may I have a dance?
their Father knelt and tender took her hand,
an offered hand through loops of time’s expanse,
their final words in wilting hearts expand.

their Father knelt and tender took her hand,
the seconds slowed to stop as Father passed,
their final words in wilting hearts expand,
then Mother’s mind began to break at last.

Movement II - Rearrangement

remember now before the future fades,
the sutured minutes of memories held,
records replayed as grooving sound degrades,
advancing echoes, music notes dispelled.

the sutured minutes of memories held:
now twirling dance, oh younger selves, entrance
advancing echoes, music notes dispelled
through silent waltz that swells with last romance.

now twirling dance, oh younger selves, in trance
with candled spells of woven hands that grasp
through silent waltz that swells with last romance
of eyes reshaping molds, the fated clasp.

with candled spells of woven hands that grasp
relapsing moments sung by bells and crowds
of eyes, reshaping molds the fated clasp
of past refrains now sealed beneath the clouds.

relapsing moments sung by bells and crowds
concealed by crumbling walls, demented shades
of past refrains now sealed beneath these clouds
that clutter skies in swarms that stretch decades.

concealed by crumbling walls, demented shades
(remember now before the future fades)
invade the hollowed mind as scream pervades
records replayed as grooving sound degrades.

Movement III - Dissolution

remember ancillary note sentries:
the good can decay many ways.
phantom morrow’s cough. in times realize
the mention there of tenant seasons.

the good candy came anyways;
all target the damaged mind in trance,
(the men shun their often antsy sons)
the flow ingrained decomposes.

altar, get the damn aged mind, entrance
memory erstwhile, foe kissing;
the flowing rain eddy composes
another ushered

memo rehearsed while focusing
an aim, wintry slight, upward ingrown
an other us heard
the fading names of suns.

a name when trees light up, warding grown
remembrance, ill airy notes in trees,
the fading names of sons
fan tomorrow’s coffin, time’s real eyes.

June 2025

Submission History#
Date	Publication	Status
June 1, 2025	Tabula Rasa	Rejected
June 1, 2025	The Louisville Review	Rejected
June 3, 2025	Frontier Poetry	Pending
June 4, 2025	Swan Scythe Press	Rejected
June 6, 2025	Boulevard Magazine	Pending
June 12, 2025	Merion West	Rejected
June 25, 2025	The Aftershock Review	Pending
July 10, 2025	The Metaworker	Pending
August 12, 2025	Scribeworth (Movement I)	Pending
August 15, 2025	Little Patuxent Review	Pending
August 15, 2025	Smartish Pace	Pending
August 16, 2025	American Poetry Review	Pending
August 16, 2025	Missouri Review	Rejected
August 22, 2025	Glass	Pending
August 26, 2025	Gavialidae	Pending
August 27, 2025	Sligo Creek Publishing	Pending
August 29, 2025	Dogwood Poetry Contest	Pending
September 9, 2025	Garfield Lake Review	Pending
October 12, 2025	New Feathers	Pending
October 12, 2025	Cosmic Daffodil	Rejected

Rejection Letters#

This rejection is in regards to “The Pantoums of Dementia.” We’re so sorry we could not bring you better news; we know firsthand how difficult it is to put yourself and your writing out there.

These were some of the critiques that our team had for “The Pantoums of Dementia”:

“While I love this collection, their meanings, and their structures, I do not feel the average reader will connect strongly with these pieces. The lines are a little convoluted, which is evidently intentional, but I feel the audience will grow frustrated with it, rather than engage further.”

“This is a really interesting approach, and I got chills at the end of the first poem. I’m not sure the third is as strong, but I also think the disjunct nature/images and change in voice/word choice are very fitting when you consider the subject. I think that viewed as a whole, this is a powerful piece.”

“The language used does not appeal to me nor makes this easy to digest for the common reader. I love the concept of this poem and find it unique, but it does not fully immerse me.”

“I like the pantoum form, but it’s very tricky to do well and not get frustrated with the repetition. Dementia is a clever way to use repetition, but the elevated vocabulary matched with formal structure distances the emotion of the poem. I’d recommend trying a more colloquial tone in the pantoum form.”

Overall, we did enjoy your submission and encourage you to submit again!

—The Editorial Team at Tabula Rasa Review

Dear Grant,

The Pantoums of Dementia is/are my favorite. I enjoy reading the poems of artists who take on the challenge of “form.”

“The formal systems that structure experience.” Amazing!!!!

I apologize for the delay in responding to your submission. I am the new Arts Editor for Merion West, and we are in transition.

This set of poems is not quite right for Merion West at this point. Please submit again. I am a poet; I submit to journals and magazines regularly. Keep moving forward.

Thank you for submitting your work to Merion West. We wish you the best in your writing.

—Kind Regards, Austin Allen James