The September 20th prompt in The Daily Poet: Day-By-Day Prompts For Your Writing Practice, by Kelli Russell Agodon & Martha Silano, is to write a short poem about a favorite item, using Donald Hall’s ‘The Things’ as inspiration. I chose to approach the subject a different way, focusing on the catalog of emotions that is my ever-changing music collection.

I have records on my shelves
they remind me where I’ve been
maps to my inner feelings
that I return to time and again

I can remember walking along
listening to those songs
nothing else could get me through
all that time I spent thinking of you

Now I hear a song
and I think of you
It’s not the same as having you here
but there’s not much I can do

There’s half a world’s space between us
and half a lifetime, too
But when that song begins to play
that’s my lifeline to you

(21 September 2014)