Would I remember you as vividly if I didn’t have the pictures?

If your smiling face didn’t peer out at me from the frames would I still remember it?

I see you in my dreams
But is it you
Or is it my perception of you
Based upon the photos

If I didn’t see the photos everyday would I miss you as much?
If I didn’t see you in my bathroom, on my dresser or hanging on the wall
Would you still be in my thoughts all the time?

But when I think about it I know:

I’ll never forget you’re bifocal glasses
I can still see your eyes twinkling from behind them
The only clue that you weren’t completely serious
The dead giveaway that it was all just sarcasm

I’ll always remember our scary smiles,
We’d both grin as big as we could
And then burst out laughing at each other

I can still picture your Christmas vest
Red as an apple
You wore it every year
Even on the years when I didn’t come until the 27th
You and Grandma kept the tree and the lights
And you still wore that Christmas sweater

No the photos just remind me
Of memories I already have
And even if your face fades
As faces often do
You will never be invisible to me
I will always love you Tach I will never forget you

And if I close my eyes
When I’m alone and it’s quiet
I can still hear your voice
Quavering as you say,
“I love you too”