``Such articles are totally inaccurate. We have all met him and are very concerned about him,'' says fellow poet Adil Jussawalla. ``His sister too is very concerned about him," he added. Amongst other friends of Ezekiel, Kekoo Gandhy, associate director of Gallery Chemould, visited his today and said that the poet had been reduced to a shadow of his former self. "He is half the size he was when I last saw him. He is not quite all there either. But I must say that he hasn't lost his sense of humour." Talking to Gandhy about the time he spent in London, Ezekiel was full of anecdotes and wit.

WriterMeenakshi Raja who also met the poet this morning said that his condition wasn't very good then. "It just makes me so sad seeing him like this,'' she said.

According to the doctors at the hospital, Ezekiel's condition cannot be reversed but his decline can be made almost imperceptible. Though lost about his whereabouts Ezekiel's manner is invariably polite and charming. Sitting upright in a room which he is sharing with another patient, he was alert and talkative when this reporter visited him. When visitors came for his room-mate, he insisted on standing and gave his chair to them. While he has lost a lot of weight, he says he loves going for long walks every day.

Ezekiel is likely to be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days and completely contrary to allegations that his son has abandoned him Elkana Ezekiel is making arrangements to put him in a home where he can receive full-time care.

The poet for his part remains completely unaware of the controversy that has risen over his illness. Hetalked about how well his son has done for himself and how hard he works at his job with Johnsons & Johnsons. Said a friend who did not want to be quoted: "I don't think his son is ignoring him. In fact the hospital is very close to Elkana's house so he can visit his father regularly." While Jussawala said, "I admit Nissim deserves more visitors than he is getting, including myself. But it is hardly true that he has been abandoned. There are definite plans to make his situation much better."

Ezekiel himself has no complaints about being neglected. Most of the time though, he seemed under the impression that the hospital was someplace else and that he was there for work. But the confusing shroud of Alzheimer's lifted completely when he spoke about his writing, "I still write everyday but I send my poems home as one intends to work on them after all this is over."