Housekeeping

People, fill up locations in memory: picture and lists

habitually disconnected images, but with purpose and effort, eventually associated, 

or at least, connected in  imagination

looking with effort, through many albums, and old phone books

‘nice to see you again…’ causing a puzzled look, frequently followed by ‘don’t you remember?’

thinking, “No.” But pretending, for the sake of kindness, head-nods in agreement,

“Yes, Yes I do.”

more space is needed,  new faces without names, new names without faces,  arriving everyday

more head-nods, the utility of politeness,  taking up space

housekeeping is commanded, throw out the old,  the fictitious, the pointless.

heartless housekeeping eliminate the casual, expel the pointless

memories that give no comfort,  

that don’t temper the relentless winds of loneliness and regret , that come in the darkest hours

sweep the dust from the corners, along the passages, between the stacks,

make space for  new faces, new names,  new purpose,    useful memories, 

like lamps in the hallway when the clouds obscure the moon