There’s this photo
in which he stares
at the camera
and I remember
we’d already
begun by then;
made plans,
talked for hours,
fallen in love, even
by the look on his face;
I remember that day,
our chairs pushed together,
sharing our lunches,
scribbling notes
to each other
like school kids;
but we were hardly that,
hardly so fresh to all of it;
I wish my camera
had focused more,
had adjusted its
exposure
to show the shadows,
the rough edges
and hidden details,
to find the nuances
in the full picture
I see so clearly,
now.
Poem and photo ©2025 Jen Payne. NaPoWriMo, National Poetry Writing Month. If you like this poem, you can read similar in my books and zines, available from Three Chairs Publishing on my ETSY SHOP. They come autographed, with gratitude and a small gift.
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