The Story of Me and My Story

Another day in boxes,
Spring moving, spring cleaning, spring
Ruminating about lost pasts,
Ridiculous decisions,
Ages ago, to keep things
That can only embarrass
Or baffle me, silly things

Crates of lampshades, boots, and ties,
Ugly jackets and sweaters,
Odd prosthetic devices,
Decades-old bills, documents,
Papery heaps of letters
Sent to young me from young friends
Each trying to write better

Than the other and failing.
Save for perhaps a handful
Of family photos, rare books,
An artwork or two, it's all
Best sent off to the landfill.
Why cling to this mound lacking
eloquence of an anthill?

I think of all the gone selves
Re-editing this story
Of what I wanted or thought
I wanted others to see
As me in all my glory
Tattered as a faerie flag,
Pretense past all restoring.