Where Memories Linger

Where Memories Linger
Yong Wan Choi 03.27.08

Stories that stopped to rest while passing along the park path
drew near at length, laid their bodies down on the bench,
and left their marks, bound up without a trace

A mother soothes her whimpering baby
someone begs from a stranger and leaves empty-handed
knotted tales loosen their grief and let it drift far away
two faces twisted by a quarrel fold their hearts away
rough breath, hot writhing, souls set aflame
the story of calling that name, calling it until the throat choked

Once cold winds and showers have come down and washed it
it is a place where spring, summer, autumn, and winter have come and gone

Where they lingered, the color fades
silent old memories come back, sit, and doze
on a wooden bench left clean and empty, waiting for the next story