Sentimental waves of melancholy smiles
Wash over me in flashback scenes;
People here and gone, still held close
Inside my timeless mind.

I waxed nostalgic just the other night
About Mom’s awkward hang-ups,
Grandma’s base-ball bat revenge,
And regal, witty, independent Gran.

I have dreams about friends moved on
And smile to see long-lost grins,
Hear their voices, and recall odd habits,
Like OCD-ish repeating hand movements.

I still toast Dawn at least once a year
with corona and pop rocks, if I have them,
and pray for her family left behind.

People come and go, but the memories cling
And I embrace them with joy,
Glad to have bumped lives with the magic few
Who make the journey worth remembering.