A cake her father bought her mother –

always on the frosting the shape of

a clock with the hand five minutes

to midnight for the New Year’s Eve

birthday gal, happy in their dancing

celebrating then, even now

as a daughter shares that story

so others hold that memory

clear, sharing to widen the net –

rippling sound waves in the ocean

racing to other shores,

the butterfly wings fanning into winds.

Where do the memories hide

in the stringy brain, in that long goodbye?

What in this still celebration grabbing tight

this moment holding back the river of time

with the stiffening dam of resolve

strengthens the many triple-braided cords

not easily broken?

FEWalls