June 25, 2015

she remembers the feel of wet laundry
hanging over her shoulder
in the heat of the sun
with a chair beneath her feet
she steadied herself
with clothespins in her teeth

life is like that with layered memories
linked with love, laughter and sadness
this one of a girl too short to reach
carefully pinning laundry
drying in the warmth of the sun

a time before dryers fluffed the clothes
the smell of outside left behind
but she remembers standing on the chair
watching the blue of sky
the green of the avocado tree next door
listening to the bird song everywhere

now it remains her memory
in a secret place all her own
the closeness of which makes her warm inside
knowing that all that is left
are the bittersweet remains
like kindled fire burning down

Renee Espriu