the day he most
dreaded had arrived
sorting through memories
would not be easy
they’d been
so close for
many years
now she was gone
and he had to move on
he looked at her clothes
hanging in the closet
he remembered how
beautiful she looked in this and that
she never went anywhere without a “proper” outfit
sorting through her things
rekindled memories of
more pleasant times
her perfume still
clung to her clothing,
awakening forgotten
memories of better times
he held a dress in a tight embrace,
it was a special date together
a dress, a sweater, a top, the scent of her
lingered and sparked fond memories
shoes, he never understood
why a person needed so many shoes
scarves for every occasion
how could he sort through them alone?
jewelry to complement every outfit
how she knew what to wear was a mystery to him
makeup to accent her lush lips and highlight her blue eyes
where did she learn this skill?
it all had to go
keeping it was
too painful, but
how could he?
would his memories of
her and the good times
fade?
he hoped not
would the memories of the
pain and suffering she endured
fade?
he hoped so
they were the last memories of her
they’d rocked him to his soul
he struggled to blot them out
but failed
yet sorting through her things
aroused memories of better times,
when she was full of life,
when they were happy together
then he knew he could do this
his good memories of her
would not fade
today was not so dreadful after all