Memories

Memories float like whispers:
Touching my life in secret places;
I have a tale to tell,
But no ears in which to whisper
Buried Truths.
I hear the secrets,
Listen.
Quiet lives lived in muted tones; 
Cast Shadows over my life;
I grasp for times gone by. 
Memories speak to those who remember. 
Where are your memories?
The good and the bad.
Are they tucked away in deep crevices of the past? 
Where are your memories? 
Do they simmer in places too painful to recall? 
Do they hide behind your smile like towels tucked away in the cupboard?
Memories make shadows in our lives.
They are our shadow-selves that follow us wherever we go. 
Shadows that move when we move,
Bend when we bend.
Break when we break

Avis Dawkins is a native South Carolinian, currently living in Spartanburg, SC. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Winthrop University, and continued developing her teaching craft by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina. Since then, she has spent her professional career touching the lives of adults and children by helping them communicate as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She has received awards for her contributions to the field of education in Spartanburg, as well as in her previous residence of Fullerton, Southern California. Writing poetry has been a lifelong hobby. She has been published in literary journals, such as Writers INC.