Lyrical Sunday - Memory

This week's prompt is Memory. A rather sadomasochistic choice this week.

I have two poems to offer...


Bottled Memory

In the lifting of the bottle,

the downing of a bitter-sweet liquid,

the taste, the feel of the cold,

a memory rises to the surface.

In that moment, the room dims,

the cigarette smoke brings a tear to her eyes,

the drunken laughter surrounds her,

taking her back to that night.

In the darkened room, a boy,

a broken boy with a sad smile,

looking for a way out in the bottom of the bottle

losing his way with each gulp, breaking more.

In the doorway, she stood,

torn between duty and compassion,

hesitant, unsure of how to proceed,

dimly aware of impropriety, yet unable to watch him hurt himself.

Into the room she stepped,
the thought to comfort foremost on her mind,
stumbling slightly, too much wine, too little food,
she held him close, ignoring wandering thoughts.

In the murk of that night, a dull feeling of invincibility,

the recklessness of youth meted out comfort;

the desire to be a reminder of a life worth living,

the memory tainted with regret and could-have-beens.

(C) Latte Junkie 2012

Source: imaginedesignblog.com via LatteJunkie on Pinterest

Driftwood.

Like driftwood floating on the surface of a calm sea,

the memory drifted through her heart.

It warmed her and calmed her.

It was a thing of substance and love.

A memory of life and hope.

An almost forgotten moment captured
in the rose-tinted resin of time gone by.

(C) Latte Junkie 2012