Family Photo Album

Family Photo Album

Memories were waiting at the edge of things

beckoning to me. Going back to old

photographs: sittings and studios. Waiting

for a long, long time before the world

went from sepia to other shades. Touching up

the tint on a tartan regimental tie.

Cellophane packets of gold and brown slip-

-paste photo corners, couldn’t hold the lie

of stance and smile for long. They came unstuck.

Some snaps fell out; some had a rogue relative

cut out. Too many now are over-sweet

mawkish and posed. They will only give

a rose- glow of how it might have been

but was not. Behind each one – a slow sad rain.