In frozen moments
I can see a birth
Not mine
The parents' faces
I can draw from memory
But the events are imagined
The birth took place in actuality
But by that time I was in Florida
And probably lying to a nurse
About an upset stomach
Or maybe just crossing a street
Unattended
Beyond that
I can only further imagine
And taking from pictures
I would be right to envision
The mayhem
The antics
The sheer fun
And volume in decibels
The house encapsulated
On any given day
Once the cycle was complete
Three times that house shook
With anxious faces
Anticipating all that energy
And change of focus
But that first time
Must have been such a rush
To have led to a second and third
This weekend we celebrated
All that has happened without us
And that which we have known together
We drank champagne
There were herbs
We sat together
And laughed
We ate several fine meals
Played cards
Went bowling
Got lost
Had ice cream shaped like a log
Generally speaking, a good time
We forgot to remember
For the most part
But, ultimately we could be placed in two categories
Those who constantly remember
Seeing everything that has come before
As well as what is happening now
All at once
And those that don't
Not a year goes by that we don't think about that day
At least the people I know
And isn't it funny
The people you know
I mean, truly know
Can be suspended in a photograph
So many years away
And it can be like you were there
Just for a split second
Enough for a flash bulb
To catch those expressions
That rightfully hold on
To the center of someone
The very essence
That allows you to live
Vicariously
In two moments at once
If the native americans are right
And there's a little piece of soul in there
I can understand the magic
And can only think it better to share
Knowing that we are all a part of each other
Over time
A sprinkle here
And a sprinkle there
Until that which is identifiable
Becomes collective
And that which goes unseen
And unnoticed
Becomes that much more
A part of us all
--
9.24.07
I can see a birth
Not mine
The parents' faces
I can draw from memory
But the events are imagined
The birth took place in actuality
But by that time I was in Florida
And probably lying to a nurse
About an upset stomach
Or maybe just crossing a street
Unattended
Beyond that
I can only further imagine
And taking from pictures
I would be right to envision
The mayhem
The antics
The sheer fun
And volume in decibels
The house encapsulated
On any given day
Once the cycle was complete
Three times that house shook
With anxious faces
Anticipating all that energy
And change of focus
But that first time
Must have been such a rush
To have led to a second and third
This weekend we celebrated
All that has happened without us
And that which we have known together
We drank champagne
There were herbs
We sat together
And laughed
We ate several fine meals
Played cards
Went bowling
Got lost
Had ice cream shaped like a log
Generally speaking, a good time
We forgot to remember
For the most part
But, ultimately we could be placed in two categories
Those who constantly remember
Seeing everything that has come before
As well as what is happening now
All at once
And those that don't
Not a year goes by that we don't think about that day
At least the people I know
And isn't it funny
The people you know
I mean, truly know
Can be suspended in a photograph
So many years away
And it can be like you were there
Just for a split second
Enough for a flash bulb
To catch those expressions
That rightfully hold on
To the center of someone
The very essence
That allows you to live
Vicariously
In two moments at once
If the native americans are right
And there's a little piece of soul in there
I can understand the magic
And can only think it better to share
Knowing that we are all a part of each other
Over time
A sprinkle here
And a sprinkle there
Until that which is identifiable
Becomes collective
And that which goes unseen
And unnoticed
Becomes that much more
A part of us all
--
9.24.07
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