Poem•Tree

The occasional poem will be published here.

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Yesterday’s Memories

A picture of a picture in a picture
Of yesterday’s memory
Fallen in the leaves and forgotten
Is this how it was meant to be…

In the alley on the breeze
Tossed about and rained upon
No camera remains around
The photographer is long gone

Lost and found today
Memories lying on the ground
Leftovers of yesterday
Where will my pictures be found

A snapshot of a daydream
A living vision right now
A faded image of time
Later our heads we will bow

Lost and found today
Memories laying in the ground
Leftover from yesterday
Where will my pictures be found
Where will my picture be found

Original work by Chris Nielsen © 2012

Backstory about this poem. While taking a walk one day a reflection of the sun flashed up from the ground in an alley near our house. It was a weatherbeaten photograph laying in some fallen leaves. Grungy, but still a one time nice photo of trees with mountains in the background. What was the story this picture was trying to tell? Was it a snapshot from a family vacation? Who took the picture? How did it end up here? What happens to old photographs when we are gone? Where is the photographer now?

It was interesting and yet melancholy trying to imagine the untold story of this forgotten memory. I almost forgot about my photo of the photo until late one night words just started coming to me in the form of this poem. Maybe one day I’ll make this poem into a song. Maybe the person who took the lost and found photo will hear the song and wonder what happened to their picture.