The Paisley Print Box

A few days after the funeral,

I search the bedroom closet,

cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!

Getting rid of things,

seemingly unimportant things;

old shirts, stained ties & trousers,

worn socks & shoes,

things that prolong pain,

things that rekindle memories

and awaken nostalgia.

In that frenzy to erase,

I reach into a dark corner &

pull out a worn paisley print box.

Compelled by its weight,

I sit on the floor & open it, slow,

almost afraid to know its content.

It is filled with faded, yellowish

back & whites,

snapshots that seem to defiantly

freeze times past.

I look upon fetching smiles & eyes

that reflect passing moments

of love & happiness.

I also catch the subtle looks of

frustrations & disappointments,

hopes and dreams suspended on paper.

I wipe my tears from the

frazzled-edged black & whites

that unpretentiously frame

time-stained, wrinkled remembrances,

forgotten moments of long ago,

moments that undeniably construe

the sometimes enigmatic self

I am today.

With tenderness I close the box &

push it back into the dark, secluded corner,

where it belongs.

I continue cleaning, even though

my pace is slower,

more reflective,

perhaps it’s the weight of

the worn paisley print box.                                                     

                                                                                                                     

Hello to all my followers,


This is to inform you that my book, Dreams and Realities: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Resilience is ready for purchase.  You can obtain the book through amazon.com either as an e-book or a hard copy.

You have read many of my blogs concerning this final publication, however, I have revised it extensively and have included other stories that were not in the blog.

Please send me an email after you read the book to let me know your reaction.  Also, I would appreciate it very much if you would promote the book among your friends and family.

Thanks for following my blog.  I will continue writing so be on the lookout for future pieces which may be poems or essays on various topics of interest.

Ciao,

Mildred Santiago

mildredstjames@yahoo.com