Yard Sale

you never know whose memories your walking away with.

The sign reads: yard sale everything must go.

People pass through, taking memories they don't know.

A little old woman sits in a chair.

With tears in her eyes, and a blank stare.

 

She remembers the day they first met.

He held that umbrella so she wouldn't get wet.

A woman walks by holding two china plates.

The same ones they used on their very first date.

 

Miscellaneous items in a box by a tree.

In the very same spot, he got down on one knee.

A suit hanging by looks just like new.

As new as the day they said I do.

 

A man takes his toolbox, hammer, and nails.

He took her hands, then lifted her veil.

She looks at a blanket all tattered and torn.

They got it the day their daughter was born.

 

A boy asks his mother "are you almost done?"

She thinks of the day they welcomed their son.

It's time to clean up, its almost seven.

She knows he's waiting, up there in heaven.

 

She looks at her hands all wrinkled and creased.

As they take her memories piece by piece.

Author's Note

please ignore all grammar and punctuation errors

Reviews

[Imperfection]

Such a beautiful way to put it. The memories attached to personal belongings are as important as those attached to people for we often associate things with people.

This poem reminded me of a watch that has been with me for 18 years. It's more than a watch to me. I can't dream of giving it away.

Well written.

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

Our many little treasures hold many a memorie is true, and sometimes it is so hard to let them go. Nice poem. Thank you for sharing. Debileah

[K. Aurora]

This...this..made me cry. The feelings of loss trippled, for not only had she lost her husband, but the things they had shared, and her memories.
I don't think I shall ever look at a garage sale or an antique store the same way again.
This captures such basic and powerful emotions. It throws us into anothers shoes, we feel the old womans heart weep.

Thank you for writing this. It has opened up a pair of eyes.

Sincerely,
Kansas Aurora

[Blade & Blood (The ..]

Wow, an excellent piece! This was a very good idea you've got here. Usually people are always clamoring to their junk out of the house, although it seems like this woman was damn-near forced (whether by concerned family members or her own mind) to get rid of such memories that she must've cherished so dearly.

Structurally, it's got some excellent rhyming! It flowed so easily and the flashbacks from yard sale to memorylane was very clever. :)

This was a very beautiful poem! Thanks for posting it!

Ironically Yours, Blade and Blood

[Staci Brown]

now this was a brilliant poem! deep and intense and two separate poems at once! :D well done girl! :D

Faerie Blessings!

--faerie whisper (breaking the silence...)

[Stephanie]

wow! very creative and eye opening. sometimes we dont know what certain things mean to people. how many memories are attached to that one thing. i especially love this one!

[Mariah]

Oh my God! I can't even believe the utter genius of this poem .It made me feel! It made me think...and it almost made me cry. You took such a simple "subject" , the yard sale, and made something BRILLIANT out of it. It's inspiring.

[James K. Blaylock]

This piece is so sad. Just think everytime we leave with an item from any type of sale... we're also taking with us those old fading memories of yesterdays past. Great write!

jkb

[Floydina White]

My Goddess, you are phenomenal. I can picture the little old lady in my head, dreaming of each memory as someone takes away another belonging of her husbands. It's sad, but it's a reminder that life goes on, and you never know what something means to someone until it's taken away. I love your imagery!

[Travis Lawrence]

So, so sad... I almost feel like crying. I've always been fascinated by the hidden pasts we cannot see, in objects, but even people too. Like the old woman... I see someone, even briefly, and sometimes I cannnot help but wonder what they have been through, the stories they have to tell. And, I know that I will never know, and am left to always wonder.

I love the rhyme, too, it doesn't seem forced whatsoever. Well done.

Have a nice day!

[Ju Ju]

I love this poem
it is so beautiful
this is wonderful and so inspiring
I like how in italics is the memory
and in regular font is regular
it makes it easy to understand