Haunting Memories

Contemplating ancient ruins,
I lose myself in thought,
In a world beyond dreams.
You can feel the poet's heartbeat,
The pull of his hand
Grasping at shadows.
Tears slowly glide
Down my face
As I feel with him,
Understanding the bittersweet
Harmony with Nature.
Finally, I turn back
And notice the sun
Streaming through the massive oblong windows,
Tracing a pattern to
Ease the soul.
An elderly woman approaches the entrance
And stops.
She too is lost in memories,
Yet not in the so distant past.
A wave of pain etched in her features
Flashes for a time
Barely perceptible to the human eye,
But then she smiles-
A private smile-
For the times she once
Shared in this remarkable place.
In that instant,
In that simple gesture,
A curiosity is sparked.
I regard her,
Silently willing her to approach.
The woman turns and glances my way,
Ambling towards me
In an open smile of friendship.
Silent contemplation ended,
One might believe the magic gone,
But the woman does not disappoint,
Unreservedly telling her tale-
Of a jaunt once shared
Hand-in-hand with her husband,
Of his excitement as a metalworker
Discovering the Abbey was
The first metalworks around in
Times past.
Now she walks these paths
Seemingly alone,
Copying down the inscription
On the metalworks plaque,
Knowing that is how he would have
Wanted it.
And yet, as I watch her walk away,
I can see she is not alone,
For the spirit of her love
Lives on in her heart and
In the sparkle of her eyes.
I reluctantly leave this
Fantastical world,
Afraid to lose the inspirational feeling.
As I walk through the gate, however,
A slow breeze caresses my arm
In farewell.
And I realize all is not lost,
For the poet's soul
Lives on in me,
Spurring me to write
What I feel,
Not caring for greatness,
Just expression of selfhood.
Finally, I turn and sigh,
The corners of my mouth
Tilted slightly upward,
For always I shall
Smile upon thoughts
Of the poet in the woman
Who taught me the Beauty of Haunting Memories.

Danielle Baker
-5/22/93