Page after page

The photographs show

How you hugged

Smiled and laughed-

The same faces.

Four year olds climbing

Seven year olds sharing

Sixteen year olds dancing

Twenty-one year olds celebrating.

Birthdays, weddings,

Journeys, meals.

Such loyalty

But arms open wide to embrace

More and more and more

Friends.

Even now

The alarm rings

On their birthdays-

As if you haven’t forgotten them

From beyond the grave.

I like to think that that is so.