and I will show you everything I have gained.
Each jewel; each scrap of paper;
each mark on my body can tell you where I have come from
and where I am headed.
They all have a tale of lost times and lost boys
that moved on without thought or care;
passing through as lovers have always done.
They take me to the beautiful days
when men whistled in the street at a glimpse of my calves,
the saffron glow of tea dances,
stolen kisses, weekends at the lake.
And when I am satisfied with my remembrance
I carefully wrap each piece in fragranced tissue,
protecting them from the wear that time
will inevitably bring.
