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Where I lay my nest

March 4, 2016

Along the shores of my bank,

I spotted this seashell; it was

the color of my childhood.

In a tiny plastic bag, knotted twice,

I was given ink-colored rocks

along with a note,

written by his aunt,

Greek tiny writing.

 

These rocks are from Voulagmeni Beach. For you with love,

so you could always have a part of Greece with you. 

Your aunt, Tasia. 

 

I did a DIY and recycled

glass lime pies

cute decorative bowls

I could not throw away,

along with Petite Maman jam jars.

Covered the note under them

like a lost treasure.

 

Who will find it next?

 

The dead

have so much more to say

after their death.

Tiny handwritten notes,

photos from 1956, first passport

upon entering Canada,

more recipes,

my own cards with no dates.

 

It was my father’s birthday yesterday,

he would have been 76.

I said Happy Birthday to you,

to the ice cold day, parked in

front of the cemetery on my way

to Starbucks.

I lay my nest in all the places

where I lived.

On Stuart Street, 1974,

running across the street

to elementary school

while the bell rang.

Grade four, suburbia nightmare,

large backyards

and poker parties.

I lay my nest

where my children are

my husband’s hand

my dead father

my mother’s midnight panic attacks

my brother’s sweet soul,

while

everyone else

begins and ends my days

with artful quotes

maniacal attacks,

while everyone begins to think

they are just a character in my next

novel. The truth is

no one exists

for that long

except characters.

Lay my nest within

for soon enough

everyone will be gone.

 

 

 

 

 

Christina Strigas

Comments:

13

  1. Feeling this today. Heart achingly poignant

    1. Chrissy says:

      Thanks Tosha. I appreciate your visit. 🙂

  2. Rijupalika says:

    Love this! It’s so accurate!

    1. Chrissy says:

      thank you for saying so 🙂

  3. Eric says:

    Brokenheartedly lovely as always.Christina, your words always know exactly where you hit my heart. But I love the way you write. <3

    1. Chrissy says:

      as I love the way your write. x

  4. Wonderful . . . full of meaning and truth, strung together beautifully.

    1. Chrissy says:

      Thank you Mary! Love your picture.

  5. clinock says:

    Scrolling down through your poem is like sky diving or white water tubing…once begun I cannot stop until the end and then I go back for more…

    1. Chrissy says:

      Oh, thank you! Waking up to that comment is amazing. Have a great day. 🙂

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