A cake her father bought her mother –
always on the frosting the shape of
a clock with the hand five minutes
to midnight for the New Year’s Eve
birthday gal, happy in their dancing
celebrating then, even now
as a daughter shares that story
so others hold that memory
clear, sharing to widen the net –
rippling sound waves in the ocean
racing to other shores,
the butterfly wings fanning into winds.
Where do the memories hide
in the stringy brain, in that long goodbye?
What in this still celebration grabbing tight
this moment holding back the river of time
with the stiffening dam of resolve
strengthens the many triple-braided cords
not easily broken?
FEWalls
A Long Perspective 