The Paddock Review

…..

Still

Photos taken with disposables
or pinhole cameras crafted from cardboard–
a casual collection to chronicle young love
now lies at box-bottom
under an off-white T-shirt
whose leftover scent of Polo
still frees itself upon rummaging.

Pink dress with heels in hand,
tux jacket loose over the shoulder.…..

Once in a while,
one is recovered
between the pages
of an old book–
misplaced acquaintances that keep each other company.…..

Like a forgotten game of hide and seek,
I’d like to think I placed this one with purpose–
a bench in the park,
cherry blossom petals like confetti,
picked and positioned solitary
behind my ear.…..

I am told to shred
these memories,
dead as they are.

How can I destroy what still has life?….

A resting place will suffice–
exposed to light,
memories surface,
ripples in a still lake.…..

This poem is from the chapbook Fallen Love by Deirdre Garr Johns (Finishing Line Press), and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/fallen-love-by-deirdre-garr-johns/

Fallen Love is a collection of poems that explores the ways in which love can build, break, and restore the spirit. Fragments of memories establish the structure of Fallen Love, with carefully sequenced poems that create a journey through the phases of love. To fall in love, we must open ourselves to vulnerability and be prepared to confront the difficult nature of fallen love. A narrative voice evokes an intimate tone that will resonate with those who desire to love and to be loved. Strong imagery and subtle rhymes expose love’s gentle and tumultuous nature, capturing its ability to take us by the hand and bring us to our knees. Though this collection offers a singular experience, the larger journey explored is the relationship one has with the self, which transcends the physical nature of love. In an attempt to reconcile love’s simple, yet complex nature, Fallen Love reveals a deeper understanding about love’s transformative power.