Piles of papers 
Stacked on the dining room table
I swear every day to sort
One pile at a time

Greeting cards from Christmas
From Mothers’ Day
From Valentine’s Day
Some from family and friends

And then
From my late husband
And the memories flood in
Then there are bills that need filing

Next are the insurance statements 
From his hospital stays
And the sticky notes he wrote reminders on
I can’t throw away anything I find with his handwriting

There is a menu from the hospital room
Where he circled different foods
That later he could no longer eat
And now I know why these piles have been here so long



©April 7, 2025
Diane E. Dockum