They collected everything
church intercessions
for the poor and the homeless
memorial cards from funeral services
Vatican stamps and mint quarter
collections of all fifty states
a model train of the Thirteen Colonies
illegible notes from a trip to Italy
letters sent home from college
English translations
of notes written in Italian
silver tea spoons from the ’76 tour
their wedding cake topper
her garter belt
the original catering
and bar receipt for $42.oo
stoic Norman Rockwell plates
rosy-cheeked Hummel figurines
newspaper articles
about miracles and saints
but it was children
they collected with the most pride
always bringing them
from faraway places
back into the fold
to a table set for seven
10/15/2011
Find You in the Sun - A daughter's slow waltz with her mother's dementia. 