Benjamin Bartley Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

Fading Photographs

Blowing off the dusty dust 
Of my old, old family portrait album 
I see, in the beginning of beginnings, 
There’s a whole lot of me, me, me me and me
Baby me, toddler me, goofy me, cutie me 
School photos up to my Senior year me 
Dispersed amongst them are family occasions 
Like Birthdays, Christmas, and the such 
My favorites are the goofy, unpretentious ones 
The LIVE and not people posing picture ones 
That end up framed and hung up on the wall 
Looking lost amongst the many, many other ones 
Then, there’s the Big Vanilla envelope: 
A Great, Great time capsule of ancestry and all 
A Great, Great graveyard of black and whites 
One especially catches my eye, sending chills down my back 
There stands a man, older than dirt 
That looks like he’s wearing my bamboo made shirt 
Not only do I look exactly like him 
Looking back at me is that same foolish grin 
And so I have to look on the back to see who it is 
But I can barely make out his name 
And yet it turns out,
He’s my Great, Great, Great Great, Great Uncle Jim

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Arthur Vaso September 13, 2024 at 10:55 PM Beautiful poem, loved this.

Luciana Fisher September 13, 2024 at 2:48 PM I will never be able to write anything as beautiful as this. I cannot relate. There is no vault of pictures of before, nor will there be of the after; there will be no Grand nor Great, Let alone Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, anything. I am glad you cherish your Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Uncle Jim and his same foolish grin.

Andrea Dietrich September 13, 2024 at 6:28 AM Wow how incredible to find an ancestor who resembles you. That must feel great. I enjoyed reading this entry for Ink's contest, Benjamin.

Sam Scott September 11, 2024 at 2:33 AM Gosh. This hit me. A lovely poem. I recently had to trawl through that same manila envelope stash to discover black and white photos of Dad (and Mum) that I wish we had been able to discuss while they were still here. There were tears and laughter and, as for you, surprises. So many questions though, so many unanswered questions. Blessings S:) x