Photograph taken January 1961
opposite Morsehead Mansions,
Maida Vale



The Only Family Photograph

Only one photograph
Was ever taken
Of my family.

Two brothers,
One mother,
One father,
All gone.

But I can see Robert,
Aged nineteen,
Smiling at me.
Smart in his grey suit,
With his Elvis hairdo
And yellow tie,
Triple crested handkerchief
Peeping
From his pocket.

And the photo
Is fading
Around Bobby's head,
Like a halo,
A premonition
Of his fate,
Dead,
Within the month.

Killed in a car crash,
On his way home
From uni,
For Dad's birthday.
We never
Celebrated it again.

Killed before seat belts
Came into this world.
His photo
Is printed
All over my brain.
His smile
Is identical
To the smile
In my memory.
So when I smile
Into his eyes,
He's still
Real
For me.

His beloved girlfriend,
Shirley,
With her bouffant
And sparkle,
Mourned him
With us,
Every Friday night
For three years.

And I can see
How fat I was
At seven.
Happy fat,
Cheesy grin,
Enveloped by
Mum's arms.

She never
Touched me again,
After he died.




Poetry by Esti D-G The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 809 times
Written on 2017-10-04 at 17:46

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shells
Such sadness, as you can hold the photograph, you can hold the good memories.
2017-10-04



Family photographs are so cherished. This one holds so much sadness as well. It's a reminder forever of who you all were on that day. I enjoy poems about family photographs, even if they hold some sadness. Written from the heart.
Ashe
2017-10-04