I like this house
Clean, bright, with an open living space
Well appointed but not gawdy or austentacious
And the books
A lifetime of them
Giant shelves full, built into the walls
Hardcover, used, not abused
Well cared for, respected
Organized, tucked in
Fiction, classic and contemporary
Cookbooks over generations
History Literature Science Politics Geography
Romance – a sliver in the study, a collection in the bedroom
Tasteful art
I notice your silver dessert spoons
A full dozen set
Tarnished, waiting, calling for me to polish and use, to admire every day
So I buy them, a bargain, can’t wait to get home with them
I leave the books; have plenty of my own already
I wonder if we would have been friends
If I had been your neighbor
Or known you otherwise before you left this house, this mortal world?
It’s the story I almost tell
I hope you are at peace somewhere
I’ll take good care of your spoons
Healing Through Connection 
You do get a good idea of someone from their possessions and living space.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it’s easy to tell semi-plausible stories, anyway…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Holy shit! This is so f***ing good! Seriously. I am resorting to academic speak—using the profane to signal the not profane, the sacred and unattainable, but in “We Could Have Been Friends” attained.
This poem has a home, a house, a fate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
teeheehee, wow, thank you, my friend! The sacred and the profane… reminds me of Liz Gilbert’s book _Big Magic_ and her description of the false dichotomy. Thank you again. This one feels reverent to me, too.
LikeLike
Absolutely wonderful! I love the powerful imagery
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I was hoping the images would come across. 🙂
LikeLike
Perfect statement. “We could have been friends.” 😌😌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. This and ‘a lifetime of books’ were the two ideas that came to me while walking through the estate sale. It may have been the first time I felt this kind of connection to a house and its former inhabitants. Kind of eerie, and definitely emotional.
LikeLike
Lovely images.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Beautiful. I totally felt it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooo, that makes me so happy! Maybe I should try this style of writing more often? 😀 It’s certainly faster than what I normally do. ;P
LikeLike
A beautiful meditation on humanity through the lens of objects. “Things” can tell us so much about others and ourselves. Love this piece! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my friend! 😀 Every time I go to one of these sales I picture what my own house will look like in this phase… And I go home with a *strong* desire to declutter… ;P
LikeLike