Veiled Remembrances

A sturdy chestnut brown container, polished and firm,

Bears the burden of lifetimes, memories in its germ.

The swirling woodgrain whispers of the tree's age,

Its purpose solemn, its presence a sage.

My body sways under its weight as I carry it near,

Echoing my emotional load, matching my fear.

A faint perfume lingers as it rests by my side,

I catch myself longing, irrationally, for her to abide.

Under the sunshine, the brass vase gleams bright,

Holding years of turmoil, confusion in its light.

Inside, what never was mingles with the never-to-be,

As I lift it, I buckle, gravity pulls me to see.

My arms embrace years of hurt, anger, and despair,

Unfair, she rests in majesty, while I'm left to repair.

Held in ornate beauty, her vitriol now stilled,

I wish my own pain could be thusly distilled.

A bulging plastic bag, a weighty burden to bear,

I fear it might burst, yet I force myself to stare.

Flecked with white, black, and gray, a mix,

I try not to ponder the contents, as my thoughts fix.

Decades of love reduced to dust, a heartache profound,

How to move forward, where to seek solid ground?

Time suspended like a bird in mid-flight,

Life forges on, despite my internal plight.

One more conversation, a wish unfulfilled, untold,

We are the guardians of ashes, precious and cold.

Unique yet united by loss's crimson thread,

In our grief, disjointed, the weight of ashes we tread.