Causal Memories
CAUSAL MEMORIES
While digging through a steamer trunk
in my dusty, cluttered attic,
I came across an old photo of me
at fifty five, smiling,
with my arm draped over the shoulder
of a stunningly beautiful woman.
In the background you can see
the skyscraper where I worked.
The truly odd thing about this photo
(and yes, I am aware just how odd it is)
is that I am just shy of forty six years old,
and work in a vastly different office building
only three stories tall.
Nevertheless, I recall the moment clearly
when this photo was snapped.
The tie I’m wearing I got for Christmas
when I was fifty.
There is a stamp on my left hand
from a concert we attended the night before.
And the woman in the photo,
laughing, clinging to me,
wearing a sun dress that I bought her
is my daughter,
who is now only eleven years old.
She looks happy, and that makes me happy.
The me that is
looks at the me that will be
and all I can think of is…
the me that once was.
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©2014 Christopher Reilley
Causal Memories appeared in Grief Tattoos, which is out of print, Kindle edition HERE.
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Shared with DVerse Poets for Open Link Night.
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Chris you had me at the time traveling theme.
ReplyDeleteLove it, Chris! This reminds me of the Time Traveller’s Wife, only it’s a time travelling father! I love the way you reveal the time shift through the ages and the buildings, and the enigma of the final lines.
ReplyDeleteThis was a time travelling worth visiting... is the future you project one that you want or on on that you fear?
ReplyDeleteThis is such a poetically brilliant capture of one traveling in time .. going back and reliving memories... love it! ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this....the reflection....the twists in the wording.....time travelling at its best.
ReplyDeleteLove this time travel, Chris.
ReplyDelete