My Closet

In the rear of my closet
live
memories of former lives.
Boxed away in crusty cardboard compartments
Waiting for me to re-find them - the
dreams, desires, decorations of my life.

Pulling them out
one by one,
I relive the events, emotions, energies
Of my accumulation.

They bring pictures to mind of
forgone friends and fascinations;
Grabbing my heartstrings and holding them hostage.

I put them away –
unable to part with them

There they will rest –
waiting until they are released once again
from their dark resting place
by me or by my successor
Who will wonder –
“Why did he keep all his junk!”

November 1999

There was a show on TV called Judging Amy.  Amy and her brother were cleaning out a closet.  That scene was the inspiration for that poem.  This was the first one that I used triple alliteration.  I love it as I do most of the ones which "wrote themselves.."