Memory in Green




I believe that we all need to make peace with our memories. We've all done things that make us recoil, flinch, or, even, sometimes, utter a small cry. 

 Memories are a shroud, a foggy shroud that we carry around from the moment that we create our first memory. Memories are the only true secret that any of us can keep. Even those who think that they have the same memories fail to see the thing exactly as we see it.

I try to wrangle my memories sometimes. I try to gather them and put them in a locked box, or at least a box with a tight lid, but somehow they escape. They waft through the foggy air, usually at night or on misty winter evenings, to engulf me. Memories are not kind; they don't "light the corners of my eye." Sometimes, but mostly not.

Gathering my memories together takes courage, which is something I don't really have a great deal of although people think I do. They think I'm strong. I suppose I am in a certain way. I'm strong at hiding my emotions, at closing my eyes, at shuttering things away that I find unpleasant.

 Although I can't remember most things nowadays, there are certain things that I think that I will never forget no matter how I long for forgetfulness. I long for forgetfulness even if it means that the pleasant parts are gone also.

Sometimes memories bring guilt. I do feel guilty, but that's not why I want the memories to go away. Guilt is only residual.

There is a song, by the Platters, I think. It's called "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." I think it a lovely song, a bittersweet song.

They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
I of course replied
Something here inside
Cannot be denied

 
They, said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
When you heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes

 
So I chaffed them, and I gaily laughed
To think they would doubt our love
And yet today, my love has gone away
I am without my love

 
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide
So I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Scout's Honor" by Avi

Image
I've created a learning resource to go along with the short story that you can find in my shop. My students have been telling me that it's quite difficult. We've done two pages per day as part of our reading workshop minilessons. They're writing the notes and responses in their journals. The grammar connection on infinitives really threw them for a loop~it was the first time that they've encountered this verbal. Melissa
Read more

Back to School Bumper Sticker Activity and Printable

Image
Here in Middle Tennessee, we go back to school in two weeks, so it's the perfect time to begin thinking about icebreaker activities.  My Back to school Bumper Sticker Printable and Activity includes 20 different bumper stickers, 10 color and 10 black and white. There are 2 bumper stickers per page. Use this as an icebreaker in the following way: Students brainstorm some bumper stickers that they've seen and what those bumper stickers say about the person driving the car. Then, the students will write down several bumper sticker sayings that represent them and their ideas or beliefs. Show students some examples of completed bumper stickers. Afterwards, give each student a copy of the bumper sticker template. Each student designs and creates a bumper sticker that represents him or her. After students have created their bumper stickers, they walk around the room reading each other's bumper stickers. This activity is a fun and creati...
Read more

The Forms of Personal Pronouns

Image
The form of a personal pronoun shows how it can be used in a sentence. Pronouns used as subjects and predicate nominatives are in the subject form. Examples:  He and I went to the post office. The winner of the marathon is she. Pronouns used as direct objects and indirect objects of verbs and objects of the preposition are in the object form. Examples: Mr. Garcia helped him and me with yesterday's homework. The clerk gave us the package. when is Theo going to give the flowers to her? Possessive forms (my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, their, theirs, our, ours) are used to show ownership or possession. Examples: My sister had to turn the box on its end to get it through the door. A mother bear is very protective of her cubs. Personal Pronouns: Singular Subject: I, you, he, she, it Plural Subject: we, you, they Singular object: me, you, him, her, it Plural object: us, you, them Singular possessive: my, mine, you...
Read more