Thursday, October 10, 2013

October Memoir and Blog Challenge - relationships post #2




Familiar Strangers

Sociology has a theory
about the familiar strangers we see everyday
how it comforts us to recognize
those we pass by, stand at the bus with,
or buy our smokes from.
The coffee shop gang,
the grocery store cashier,
the guy who lives in your building that you run into
when you get your mail from the mailbox.
I went to the museum today and viewed the ephemera
of a pop star
as I stood in front of his handwritten lyric sheet
I was deeply moved
it all starts here I thought.
Without these words there would be no song
no fame
and no retrospective gallery show.
This familiar stranger who is known to me,
but will never know me,
in that instant connected me
to my newly dead brother
when he excitedly told me
one long ago lazy afternoon
sitting on the floor of his room
you have to hear this song!

6 comments:

Angie said...

I think it's for reasons like that that familiar strangers are comforting. In some way we are reminded of other more important people.

Joy said...

That's beautiful, both as a tribute to your brother and an observation of life.

Kay Kauffman said...

Beautiful! Such a lovely poem. :)

Unknown said...

Poignant. I like the way you make it clear that those we may see as incidental in our life also have importance.

Unknown said...

I love the ending. It really hit me.

Unknown said...

I think we ignore the importance of these relationships -- thanks for making me consider them.