Keys that unlock
long left locks and the wooden button
from my winter coat,
motherhood and children,
and one brown sock,
a friendship untended,
luggage loaned,
a father, a home,
an umbrella left on the train,
my grandmother’s brooch,
a favorite book, a tree covered lane.
Growing longer each year,
words and regrets,
lists of things lost,
unrecoverable, irretrievable,
bound vellum sets in
ink stained chains of script
words written between the lines
and around the margins
erased, glued, sewn,
thin and tattered,
so as not to forget.
I leave the long list upon the altar,
and lighting the candle,
the scent of rue and asphodel fill the air.
thecourseofourseasons 
you’ve appealed to the poet, the list maker, and the wistful dreamer in me – lovely write, Kathleen 🙂
You are home! so nice to hear from you! looking forward to hearing all about the time in the Tropics – and thanks, Sarah – so appreciate the kind words
This is a stellar list poem, Kathleen. I like the transition from objects to concepts and then that terrific envoi–leaving them all on the altar!
That is quite the list of memories and regrets, leaving them at the alter very symbolic as then peace can be found.
“words and regrets, lists of things lost”
Ah, how true. I feel like those things continually add up in my life.
“words written between the lines
and around the margins
erased, glued, sewn,
thin and tattered,
so as not to forget.”
You truly are going deeper. Another lovely piece.
Oh how that list grows longer as we grow older……….I love the leaving it on the altar, and lighting the candle…and the scent………
the words and regrets… hit me most… the list of lost things can get longer and longer – good to re-find some of them…
the poem ends so beautifully…
Groovy piece!
I agree with the comment above – you rocked this. This is the first piece of yours that I’ve read and I look forward to many more. A truly evocative poem where every line builds the emotion. I was taken aback with the ending. So few people have ever heard of rue. Gorgeous work.
this is beautiful, you build so much richness and intimacy here with fewer words…
I love your list of lost things, some precious, some nostalgic ~ I can imagine the alter growing bigger and longer each year ~ Admiring too your ending with : scent of rue and asphodel fill the air.
Wow K. you really rocked this. You have a really interesting premise, an interesting list of items and then you’ve arranged them so well; I love the poetic touches, the rhythm, the rhymes far enough apart to not shout, but close enough to still ring … smiles.
Thanks, Tony – happy you liked it. And happy you heard the rhymes – thought it might be too subtle. Hope things are well with you and yours!
So many lists could tell that story of a lifetime.. To leave it at the altar is such an excellent way of remember. There is a short story by Swedish Author August Strindberg called Half a sheet of Foolscap – a list is central in this story..
http://etthalvtarkpapper.se/category/lasa/engelska-lasa/
Such a beautifully sad story- thanks for sharing this with me, Bjorn!
the altar is probably a good place to leave them…there are some things we just cant carry…and even the notes in the margin…but how fun to stumble back upon them one day eh?
This is excellent! Interesting items — quite a diverse collection. And some very poignant…..I like the idea of writing such a list on the altar too. A very original idea.