Creekside

I wondered where we were going
When we passed up the way
The way to home
And then we ended up
At the river
Where we used to roam
Crunching pinecones
Filling up pockets
With rocks
Throwing duds into the water
Sink
Skip
Plop
Definitely a dud
 
And actually if you want the truth
It’s more like a creek
But it filled up our days, our week
Winding between trees
Attempting to cushion scraped knees
When we jumped and jumped
Repeatedly
From the top of Creekside trees
 
That was in the past though
And today we stopped by so
I had to rethink all the memories
Things like
Beat up van rides and bumblebees
That got stuck in t-shirts and soda cans
 
Today is different
We’ve just been to a funeral
And everyone wants to eat and talk
And make you feel complete
When really you are a gaping black hole
Wishing you could dive deep
To the bottom of the spring in the creek
And come back up with
Ice crystals on your cheeks
Deep
Dark
Cold
Definitely a cold spot
 
And actually if you want the truth
The funeral really sucked
The life out of both of us kids
Not just the mom under the wooden lid
We are quiet in the car
When we get to the road where
Memories jarred us back
Yanking us to the bottom of grandma’s well
 
This is the present now
And tomorrow might be bitter so
We collected photos and stories
Things like
Necklaces and angel figurines
That stay inside a glass house on the wall
 
I often wonder where we are going
Every day in our cars
And why don’t we
Make more time for each other
At our homes
Where we hang her photos
And hold her cross stitch close
Remembering the books she read
The things she said
Just
One
More
Stitch
Definitely remember that
 
Here is the truth
If a simple creek
Dotted with pebbles
Can bring back memories
Of playing in caves and rubble
What will happen when I speak her name
In dreams of things that are yet to come
I’ll admit it’s hard to say
Harder than visiting the creek that day