The Memory

The Memory

Have you ever noticed how the person or persons closest to you are always on your mind, in some form or other? Even when you are not consciously thinking of them, your lover, your children, or that special person who is important to you always seems to be somewhere within your consciousness, at one level or other. It might be a kind of a feeling you have for them, an impression, or a vibe; or it might be a clear and distinct memory of some experience you’ve had with them – whether clear or vague, they hold a kind of presence within you.

There’s a kind of connection that seems to exist between yourself and them, which bridges time and distance. You feel a kind of empathy and concern for them, even when things have not always gone smoothly between you. Have you ever received news of some tragic event, such as a natural disaster, occurring in a place far from where you live, and then realize that a loved one lives there? Then a sense of worry and concern overtakes you, as the memory of that person comes to the focus of your mind. They may be far away, and you might not have seen them for awhile, but they are with you in your mind.

And so that person has become a part of you, in your memory, and in your mind.

The Memory (poem)

The person in your heart is always on your mind
and deep within your memory their presence you will find
And though the rain may fall and though the sun may shine
they’re always deep within your heart
and with you in your mind.

They’re with you in the depths of night and at the height of day
You have them on your mind at work and even while you play
The times of joy and times of sorrow spent with them today
Will haunt your mind on some tomorrow, and will never fade away.

The Memory

NOTES ON THE CREATIVE PROCESS: I wrote the poem while viewing the picture, which I had actually drawn a long time ago. And so the poem was inspired by the picture. This is an example of ekphrasis , in which one artform tries to describe the meanings and feelings that have been expressed in another artform, and thus becomes interrelated with it.