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About This Poem

A Sepia Recollection



Sitting here, on these old porch steps, that I have always known
A weathered stoop, with gray-painted floorboards
The creaks and groans, the flaws and chips, so familiar to my hand 

I've come to some conclusion,
and I'm surprised to understand, 
how well I know each board, each slat,
the shape, the size, the warps, the cracks 
   each rusty nail, ....
         but not the facts of you.  

Oh yes, I've seen a glimpse or two, 
in photographs, I have a few...

I see a robust man, in yellowed hues,  of vintage stock...
A house, a barn, and land is strewn with stones to move. 
You stand behind a plow and horse, in coveralls,... a mustache too . 

I do recall, so vaguely gray,  as gray as slats beneath my hand...
a jolly man, your wrinkled face, 
with smile, a laugh, a loving way
 
A dream I have, or is it real?  
Is that me when I was two?  Sitting here, beside you then?
Or is it just my wish to know... more than just a trace of you?

I never knew the man you were, your hopes your dreams...  
the thousand schemes that brought you to these rocky slopes 
so far from where your hopes began
Where steep cliffs rose and seas were blue.  

I look beyond those furrowed rows,...
where grasses grow in amber waves
to ponder how it came to be....
that I am me,.... 
   who came from you;        

                a man I never knew. 

_____________________________________________________________
Inspired by Craig Cornish's Contest: 'The Most Facinating Person I Never Knew'
(To watch the youtube video recitation:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4GCLqf9_o

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  1. Date: 4/14/2013 10:10:00 PM

    I just came from your video..... lovely!! This is fun, I love hearing poets recite their poems, we need to get more people to do it :) Really makes it special.

  1. Date: 3/19/2013 10:30:00 PM

    Carrie, I just listened to your fascinating poetry reading on youtube. Wow, this was really a good one to show on youtube. SO NICE!!! (why do you call yourself Alice over there?)well, it's no wonder this garnered a first place. Congratulations.

  1. Date: 3/4/2013 7:31:00 AM

    I loved reading this the first time around and am not at all surprised it won first place! Simply beautiful. Congrats!

  1. Date: 3/3/2013 11:48:00 AM

    Carrie, I like the way U understood my poem. I'm very much with a man that makes my skin crawl everytime he speaks. Sorry for the honesty. Each rusty nail, 2 their own Right! This is a nice winning poem. Deep like the sea, Skat

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 10:04:00 PM

    Pure emotion! Congratulations on your deserved First place, dear Carrie! Im going to fav it!

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 9:34:00 PM

    Hello Carrie, a wonderful winning poem. Congratulations in Craig's lovely and fascinating contest. A good subject on "The Most Fascinating Person I Never Knew." goodnight* LINDA

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 9:12:00 PM

    I must return and without hesitation fav this...........

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 7:18:00 PM

    Congratulations, Carrie. I love it. Like those old pictures in Cracker Barrel Restaurants; but then I have a few in scrapbooks of my own of relatives like yours.

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 7:00:00 PM

    Well done Carrie .....Seren

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 5:55:00 PM

    AWESOME!!! NICE to READ it ...as well as hearing you recite it...Beautifully Done...Another in a long string of excellence!!!

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 1:11:00 PM

    Carrie congrats on your big win. Much deserved. Connie

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 12:42:00 PM

    Carrie, you and Frank made it so easy to choose 1st place, if I had to write the perfect example of what I was looking for--this was it--and again you have that wonderful local color and personal touch!

  1. Date: 3/1/2013 4:13:00 AM

    So much emotion,Carrie. Check out Carrie's movie clip ,folks,that goes with this evocative writing.It's a must listen & see .Rgds Brian PS Carrie Soupmail

  1. Date: 2/26/2013 10:30:00 AM

    Yes, those old photos hold so much for us to know, if we but study them with all our senses. For a moment I was home...then I thought you were describing me....and realized then, that somehow people and their experiences are much the same, no matter who or where. I do admire your work. RAY

  1. Date: 2/22/2013 8:54:00 AM

    Yes! I feel this way about both my parents and my wife's parents. Maybe one is simply too young, eh? Good stuff. Love, daver

  1. Date: 2/22/2013 8:18:00 AM

    The man behind the plow, my grandpa. A couple of times he tried to see if I could plow a straight line. I could write the poetry of those days ending. I, a city boy spending summers in the country.

  1. Date: 2/21/2013 4:50:00 PM

    What a unique way of approaching this contest, I loved it. The more I read of your work the more I am captivated. I have added you as a favorite poet.

  1. Date: 2/21/2013 7:29:00 AM

    Oh, Carrie, this is beautiful. As always, your descriptions are stunning, and your yearning to know this person is so raw and so real. Simply loved this poem, and I know Craig will too!

  1. Date: 2/20/2013 8:27:00 PM

    Wow!! Another amazing write Carrie... I love how you've written this... love the title.. everything about it is fantastic.