Loose Change

 

innocence and a smile

 

" come back again  " 

 

thirty eight cents

 

rattled in my palms

 

 

holding memories

 

 

the quarter was  shiny and new  

 

1966  

 

the nickel , a treasure

 

a Buffalo

 

I would trade with my Dad

 

and three pennies 

 

stamped memories in tarnished copper

 

of when I as five , eight

 

and the beginning of

 

and the end of

 

that day 

 

over cast and grey  

 

we cut across a field and jumped the fence

 

into your backyard

 

sanctuary

 

where everything changed  ...

 

a blur of questions

 

and flashing lights   

 

shields

 

of men in blue

 

but I saw her body

 

I saw the blood

 

and I heard you cry ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All images and writing property of Robin Amaral . Do not copy or use without expressed written consent .
All rights reserved.  Copyright © 2012 Robin Christopher Amaral

 

Reviews

[Devons]

A cinematic, scenic kind of writing; a simple, harmless object triggering a hazy dive through memory, and a flashback into a childhood interrupted. It's fascinating how such things work on the mind; how such trivial things take on such meaning and weight.

The details of what is left undocumented here is I think what gives it resonance; creating the effect of a kind of kaleidoscopic time tunnel through which memory and soul are diverted in a moment. Atmospheric.

[MOON]

Just when you think its sweet memory of childhood, it punches you.

[Lilly Negoi]

when innocence gets lost in the rocky meanders of life, the flashbacks are never less intense..."and i heard you cry" - such a painful memory...

[Cherrie Palmer]

very powerful I love the use of broken images to weave this poet tragedy.

[Hayley]

How one memory in an inanimate object is connected to so many others... Excellent job on this, got me thinking..

[Georgiana S]

Wow...this poem was so amazing. I loved the beginning, full of childhood's innocence and the ending was sudden and unexplainable. The words are simple, though very well put together. I've enjoyed this very much ^^

[emmajoy]

Change: a word with a cruel snatch of meaning. Small coins maybe, but enormous pain. Sad, dark tho beautifully constructed from a heart with a long memory.

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

The pain so evident the reader feels it inside of them - very strong writing - worth much more than thirty-eight cents - loose change .

Chloe

Litteraly loose change, as a painful metaphor, and you make me read your tale like a true deja-vu, of your memories back in the days. I felt the pain, the twist, all...

[Aidz]

I use the same knife at times ;) enjoyed it thoroughly

[Siddhartha]

A bittersweet tale told with a keen eye and a sensitive heart. It is amazing how you bring the past alive Robin and give the readers a vicarious experience of living it through your mindscapes.