Her Purse
And…
I threw away her purse today
And inside were bits of me
The purse was old and tattered
Just as she was at the end
Her mind was frayed and worn
Like yarn that had been worried
By fingers picking at each
Memory or worry of her life
The purse was soft and smooth
Just like her skin at the base of her throat
Where we would place our heads
For comfort when we young
And even when we were older
When time or life betrayed us
Reaching far inside into it
Like her heart inside her chest
I found pieces of myself I did not know
She held so close
A picture taken in early teens and
Notes written in shaking hand
The heart of the purse held her
Identity and tissues and memories
Worn and used and not discarded
Bits and pieces of her life
Cherished, guarded, and treasured
Which I didn’t know she loved
And today I threw away her purse
And found pieces of myself
That I didn’t know were there….
jjy 02/02/08
