•
tonight
careful hands
peel back cracked
and yellowed protectant
from dark and aging pages
soured
in long-ignored
dusty albums
my wife is liberating memories
life moments
immortalized
faces and places
call from another time
a beautiful young bride
a proud new husband
our sweet children
living
and not
family and friends
here and gone
other visuals
strangely vague
yet hauntingly familiar
draw me
spark warm recall
remembered laughter
tears gratefully less bitter
captured images
collect on our coffee table
so too
do insistent emotions
cascading one by one
and all together
time
the grand thief
who would steal
the treasures of our heart
who would hold hostage
the moments of our journey
beautifully arrested
deeply moved
tears well and glisten
stirred by heartfelt gratitude
for this proof of life
proof
of love
• • •
rob kistner © 4.16.11