Friday, March 22, 2013

Ansonia Opera House




PHOTOGRAPHER'S JOURNAL:


Skaters at the Opera House  

Everything important happened here,
weddings, graduations and town meetings. 
Romeo passed word to meet Juliet here, 
Mimi died,
Uncle Tom suffered dutifully 
while we held hands. 
We loved 
especially the magicians and their magic rabbits, 

Saturday afternoons everyone roller skated here, 
roller skating at the opera, 
and in the evening men sang and danced and juggled.
What spices can embalm the memories?
Will salt or smoke or drying make them last?
the voice cadances of childhood friends, 
this ones smooth assertiveness, 
that ones hesitation. 
a voice that smiled, 
eyes like kindling,
sometimes 
almost 
nothing 
we can name
yet a crystal cadence
etched on memory.

We fall nameless 
like oval photos 
from the flaking album, 
and our spirits return to the old opera house, 
eternally circling there as when we were skaters.