ECHO of Memory
memory is not a garden
memory is a forest
some trees have withered
others still grow
in this forest live faces
some pause for a moment
others stay forever
suddenly
a word, a scent, a sound
pushes a memory out of its frame
it becomes raised,
close,
until it’s hard to breathe
in memory
we wander alone
but not lonely
you can hear laughter from years ago
we quicken our steps
as if someone walked beside us
we stumble
over what we meant to bury
what slips out of the frame
tells the most about us
yes
memory is a forest
