Whispers
~~~
A thousand words said a picture’s worth
But these do not speak to me at all
Wonderous world of the moment seen
Unrevealed by the thin and small
~~~
The captured light once living
Does not breathe here any more
Just snapshots of what lay behind
Of the person I was before
~~~
Old friends seen in young faces
Young love seen in old pains
The photos hold but traces
Of what little still remains
~~~
They are not fully silent
They whisper their timid prayers
Of a life with more possibilities
A life that held many less cares
~~~
Old images do not seem their worth
I will leave behind a thousand words
In case the photographs of my life
Are the whispers that go unheard
~~~
commonsensiblyspeaking 
words are a powerful legacy
That they are! Thank you, Beth.
Brilliant! These lines I really loved: “Old friends seen in young faces; Young love seen in old pains; The photos hold but traces; Of what little still remains.” Wonderful work, artistic and real!
Thank you, kind sir! Your words are greatly appreciated, my friend!
Always a pleasure.
“Old friends seen in young faces
Young love seen in old pains”
The entire poem is beautiful, but those lines really struck me.
I am just the opposite. I cling to old photographs. There’s a picture of me as a baby. I am in a flowy dress, arms outstretched to heaven, and it’s obvious I am dancing (some things never change). My grandmother is watching me. There’s a twinkle in her eye and a smile that lights up the room. I can see the expression of love and adoration etched on her face for her only granddaughter. It helps me feel close to her.
I also think about the person behind the camera, most likely my mother, who captured a moment between her mother and her daughter. Oh, the love that must have swelled in her heart at that moment.
Pictures speak to my inner poetess, and words make me want to be a better one, especially your words.
It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite poem of yours, but this one ranks high on the list! ❤
(Sorry for the novel of a comment. Your poems often resonate with me).
It seems that particular phrase resonated with some other readers also. And there are no rules here for comment length. Feel free to express however you would like. Many people cling to photographs. Maybe it is so they always have a reminder of the moment. I find the moments worthy of a photograph are the type we never forget anyway. Hope you have a great day! Thank you!
Leaving words for others to enjoy can be part of our legacy, just as meaningful as any photograph or memory.
Thanks’, Pete! You always get me.
Gesh, this is great Brad. The third stanza is absolutely brilliant!
Thank you so much, Bree! So kind of you to say!
Like my blog, I tend to be attached to words and images. I hold photographs as markers of my memory, little hand holds I can grab onto to remember the past. Thank you for such a thoughtful poem.
I love how you describe the photos as “little hand holds”. That is exactly what they are. Thank you, Bridgette!