Certainly, I wasn't prying!
My discovery of this small piece
of your past was
a part of my regular house cleaning.
The books on the bookshelf
had to be culled
by the "not read - not wanted" test.
The first two selected
for the recycle bin
were easy.
They were from my
morbid college days.
I sure wouldn't read them again.
The book that contained
your secret life
was from your 8th grade
Honors English class.
Probably assigned
as you were preparing for
your autobiography
writing requirement.
The book hadn't been touched
for years.
I leafed through it
and came across
a love note to you
when you were
in the eighth grade.
As I read the note
tears came to my eyes
and the years went
into rapid rewind.
I could see and hear you
as if the time was now.
My adolescent son was loved
by someone
besides his family.
Who was the mysterious one
who loved you?
Eight years ago
I dared not ask about
your personal life.
what I knew, you told me.
But now, I have a hundred questions.
I wonder what she knew
of you to love.
Was it for the same things
that I loved in you?
Did she enjoy your wit?
Or was it your confidence
and good cheer?
Did she find you handsome
and elegant
in demeanor.
And what of you?
Did you love her?
Was she like me?
Where is she now?
What happened
to the relationship?
That note provided
me a window to view you
as someone else did.
and now years later
as I watch you step across
that graduation stage
I have a need to capture as much of
you as I can for my memory file.
In that note I saw a part of you
that I didn't know.
Since it is too long ago
to be prying,
tell me of the love you knew.