Poem: July 24, 2019

Retelling

Strange to find old photographs,
to see your parents and grandparents
at the age you are now
or even younger.

Your grandparents working,
your parents at play.

Grandpa reading a newspaper.

Mom and Dad dancing in the kitchen.

Perhaps your family together,
at Christmas, and you unwrapping
and unaware

of all the sorting out that had to be done,
the mistakes that had to be overcome.

Strange to see familiar stories
before they unfold, to understand
some photos capture stories
you were never told.

Strange to see photographs made
before you did the telling.

But there you are, in the corner,
living life, convinced
you are the subject of the shot.