GARAGE SALE

Plates,
Blues, yellows, greens, pinks, and reds,
Flowered, striped, the center a turkey or a Christmas tree,
Chipped, cracked, crazed,
Piled unceremoniously on a table.
These treasures in my garage sale.

The cup without a saucer.
The saucer without a cup.
A cup, handleless, chipped, and crazed
Awaits someone to find it useful -
To find my trash their treasure.

Bottles arranged like soldiers for a picture
Tall in back; short in front
Some old, some new, some battered
Awaiting to be useful or collected.

Clothes-
The yellow dress with the scoop neck
I made for my confirmation.
Grandpa's plaid flannel shirt
Worn thin at the elbow.
Dad's ties-
Plain, paisley, whimsical.
Mom's sweaters
With patterns to attract a first grader's attention.
Baby clothes, teen clothes, stereotypical old people's clothes
various sizes - various patterns
Hang on the rack to be worn again.

The old wool blanket, green with a worn binding,
The quilt pieces, partially completed that my great-grandmother began
Fabric, drapes, table cloths, fabric.

"What is it you need,
that can't be found anywhere else?"
the customer is asked.
"Our trash is your treasure."
The sign overhead -
"You never regret what you buy -
You only regret what you don't buy."

The treasures, the treasures in my garage sale
Hold memories for me.
Although I can't begin to keep
All the objects,
The memories will remain.

Pounding bench
Pegs worn
Pockmarks in the wood
Where the hammer missed its mark -
My boys worked daily
To perfect their skill.

The child's toy tea set
That everyone looks past -
One little girl cries out,
"Look Mama - can I get it?"
But the girl's plea goes unfulfilled -
The tea set is breakable.

The teddy bear
Worn
Gaunt
Once loved by a child
Waits to be hugged again.

The dinosaur
Plastic, hard
Still brilliant green
Looking for a room to roam.

Books, books, and more books -
Records, tapes, CDs,
DVDs, computer programs.

The treasures in my garage sale
Will now bring joy to someone else
And create more memories,
Or rekindle old memories.
What I might have easily trashed,
Now someone will treasure.