Taking Cake and Snapshots

Pam in party frock takes a giant step,

lips pursed, breath ready to blast a gale.

Six candles fixed in plastic holders flicker.

I'm four, sip tea from best china,

he at three, anticipates birthday cake.

Monochrome moments caught by Kodak.

-

We arrive at diamond years,

the burnt wick of life's expectation,

drowning in melted wax.

We harness the remains of souvenirs.

Mediterranean heat in Hertfordshire,

my arms guide inside tea-rooms.

His choice home baked chocolate cake,

he lingers in the minute, savours the flavour,

unsteady hands mop scattered crumbs.

He breaks into laughter, I smile through grief,

capture him with smartphone colour,

aware time swallows fast, the last of his days.

Reviews

[Ayvid N]

Dear Chris,

Those were said to monochromatic days and yet your memories are so animated, so vibrant, they burst off the page in such wonderful colors. On the other hand, the era of smartphones feels so colorless and remote. I enjoyed these read so much today. Thank you for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear divya, a belated thank you. I read your lovely review a month ago but somehow missed responding. Better late than never.

Chris

[Ayvid N]

No worry, my friend. I'm always here and so are you. Its a blessing and you're most welcome. :)

[Soren]

Photos, like fossils capture a glimps of the past, but not the whole of it. All the flesh is gone. But from these fossils we from memories fill in the rest. Sometimes, these fabrications are accurate, sometimes augmented or deminished, in any case distorted. Such happy moments you depict and be what they are they are to be treasured. Loved the trip through time to the present. This finished it nicely.

[Chris Shaw]

Sorry for the lateness of my thank you Soren. Not sure how I missed your review. Better late than never. I appreciate you.

Chris

[Soren]

No problem Chris, at times I find myself doing the same thing.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Chris… Smart phones are a gift from the outer limits… they catch the moments that live in our 💜 heart. My Mother would be fascinated… as she was always with her Box Camera, but Not so keen on the Polaroid. Capturing those precious moments painted forever in colors of the Rainbow. Peace and 💗 Love… Pat

[Chris Shaw]

Many apologies dear Pat for the late thank you for a response to your lovely review. I hope you had a lovely birthday dear friend. 🌺

Chris

[willweb]

Time does move fast, years fly by and memories are created especially if there is a photographic record of the events standing behind the memories. Funny how blowing out candles becomes less fun as the years progress. : )

[Chris Shaw]

You are so right about candles on birthday cakes as we get older:) Thanks for visiting this older poem will. Much appreciated.

Chris

[Lorry]

Ahh, when taking photos mattered and cake was cake too!
Now we just whip out our phones, click and forget. Photos became stories in themselves, looking back and starting sentences with "oh, I remember..." instead of posting them for likes that will make you like whatever nonsense they post too.
Now I'm wondering if there's any cake left in the tin 😊

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Lorry. You know I was so pleased to have my phone with me that day. Last pic I got of my brother before he passed. I curse tech sometimes but not on that day. It proved to be a blessing:) Thanks for visiting this oldie.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Taking Cake and Snapshots'
Christine Anne Shaw,
How many'monochrome moments' just come and go among us? This writing really shows that precious are our memories and our loves. Life is sprinkled with so many lovely times and sad times which had a big impact along the way. Your thoughts above are really a beautiful tribute to a life well lived and loved in particular relationship with some one loved. Bless you much!
Kathy

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Kathy many thanks for giving this old poem a needed airing. So pleased to see it breathing again. Your beautiful review is most appreciated. I miss my brother so much but I have many wonderful memories to sustain me.

Chris

[Kathy Van Kurin]

Chris,
I am glad you have your memories. They are important as is a loved one such as yours. Your poem showed a very special caring. It was really beautiful.
Kathy

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you.

[...]

For me this poem it's like lovely Sunday. So many pleasures in each line. It have nice nice delight and relaxing mood. I really like it. About free verses there is just one rule to be and let it free. There was wrote some free poems with just one word. Like for example title of poem grey street and that was also complete poem.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Martin. Pleased you you liked it.

[...]

Yiu welcome it was really lovely to read.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Hello Christine my friend. Time is so precious and your lovely free-verse poem conveys this in a tender and loving way...candles on a cake and “Monochrome moments” captured. Eloquent language with graceful form, flow and cadence. Evocative imagery and lovely alliteration-“Mediterranean heat in Hertfordshire”. Smartphone snaps up the memories now, and the sadness of time’s passage. Beautiful as it is.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear Annette for your lovely review. So appreciated.

[Delmar Cooper]

I suspect there is no peer review to find here that can, by sage advice, improve the technique you have used. If it sounds like normally cadenced English speech; it is. This does and is. I consider the extra white space following the second stanza as essential punctuation.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Delmar for your kind review. Much appreciated.