Third Place Winner: Brittany Smith   The weight of coins Robert's closet doors house carefully packed keepsakes He's been holding onto everything Their significance is slipping from his loosened grip Beneath the surface of his memory fitting words glint briefly darting silver fish Occasionally Robert hooks a thought he pulls it triumphantly from between his lips We gasp and smile but cannot keep nostalgia from clouding our eyes Bowing our heads we wipe quickly at tears with the backs of our hands Robert hovers outside conversation's circle a bee against the screen door of flower-shop heaven Neglected plants were known to flourish under his gentle green-thumbed touch Grandmother's violet is browning on the coffee table Pushing peas and carrots across our plates we slow our eating to match his He fumbles buttering his bread we do not offer him our slices Later we'll talk of other things Robert's giving away his collections emptying the storehouses of a lifetime's careful gathering Weighed down with boxes of coins and books filled with stamps we file out to the car. Back to Feb/05 Winners Home