feeling the call

looking at pictures, watching them fade
as black into gray, white is no clearer
when days are gone long
yes, momma used to jitterbug
in skirts with no pleats, her
shoes gone to goodwill, sunday morn
photos of picnics, iced tea and stained lace
yes, watching them fade

i can rock by the mirror, as after
noon slides, tap my toes in the
summer blown dust, watching them fade
gone autumn, gone cold, wintry silver
takes hold of my hair, but i rock
by the mirror, and see only sun
flying by

may be movies are twirling, and
flickering at night, choppy voices from
places forgot, was i ever so gentle
did i smile when you sang, was i shorter
or taller, as slender as air, or am i
dreaming the long shallow dream

this house calls a reckoning, for
paying the tab, for hours we've borrowed
one, at a time; there's an end to a debt
says a tale i once heard, there's a time
when you'll follow, was i ever enough
but i'm gone in my roaming, as i rock
in this chair

feeling the call