Where the Smoke Goes

Preface: Written for my parents on their 50th wedding anniversary Where the Smoke Goes I went to the place where the smoke goes, from all our blown out candles. I found pounds of Cape Cod beach sand there, broken kites and long lost sandals. Over eighteen thousand days flown by since your promise of “I do”, wandered all around this place and found, more reasons to love you. I climbed a forgotten apple tree, so I could easily survey. I saw mountains made of sawdust, valleys of bills you had to pay. Lumber stacked from projects past, knick-knacks from church bazaars. I reminisced, just how much I missed, finding old chewed up cigars. I held my breath and dove into the lake made from our tears. Baptized again, saw family and friends that I’ve missed over the years. They brought me all the breaths you’ve held, fifty years worth put together, and showed me the boat you kept afloat, through rough seas and stormy weather. I found rooms of things you went without, to give us what we needed, and realized then, how much we’ve reaped, from the garden that you seeded. I saw every time we counted on you, stacked higher than the sun, I heard loved ones say, the times you turned us away, added up to less than one. They showed me five happy childhoods, filled with loving memories, and read five prayers for fifty more, Happy Anniversaries. I couldn’t find a way to show how much, we love and thank you both, for promising “I do”, and yes, you two, made damn good upon your oath. The smell of homemade biscuits slowly cooking filled the air, but awoke before I tasted one, in my Adirondack chair. I left the place where the smoke goes, from our blown out candle wishes, but I’ll come back each time, I need to find, the treasures my soul misses. c Copyright 2007