Looking back at photographs

(oh, the memories)

Taken many years ago,

(a younger time, a better time.)

Back before the snow-white hair

And laugh lines started to show,

(i was)

There’s her image, captured

(i forgot how happy i was.)

The photos are faded,

Corners are worn

(looking back)

Seeing her, with him,

Smiles to big to go unnoticed,

(i loved him. he loved me.)

How does one forget the battles you fought,

The wars you won?

(i knew nothing but him)

Coming to a country where you knew nothing

But your love, and staying in a country 25 years later,

Losing everything, including your love.

(this country took him)

You were a soldier.

(i couldn’t give up.)

Voice as soft as the steady fall of the rain,

Your hands, steady mine as you hold me,

telling me the wars that you thought you’d never win

(i thought it was the end)

Yet here you are, smiling painfully as you remember

How much you’ve lost.

How much you’ve forgotten.

(it was only the beginning)

However, please do not forget the battles you won.

The love you had

The people you loved, and cared for endlessly

Your story.

(i loved. i lived. i survived and am surviving.)

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I wanted to capture my person’s beauty, but also the essence of the battles she won and fought. in bold, are actual phrases that she said while talking to me, which i thought completely captured her hope in her life, and had to be added to create the whole memory piece behind her. it was also incredibly painful to hear her talk about her love lost. but also incredibly beautiful to hear her talk about the love she had.