A pastel sketch of a husband and wife
Fresh and happy and young
In an old fashioned wooden, oval frame
Taken when the family first had begun


He is in a white starched button-down shirt
With a thin two-toned blue silk tie
She with her long hair piled on top of her head
And a certain twinkle in her eye


Who are these handsome people
And why do they look so fine
Are they someone famous or are they
Some very young relatives of mine


I turn the picture over
And undo the picture from the frame
I carefully remove all the small nails
To see if the writing will tell me the name


I see some familiar writing
Get the magnifying glass out to see
If the dates and the handwriting will tell me
Who this very special couple can be


Wedding date down in the corner
Faded and so hard to see
But the numbers seem so familiar
Do I know whose these dates would be


Of course, it is Ves and May in the picture
My parents, can it really be
I've never known them to dress so finely
Rented clothing for the picture I see


I feel a thrill as I study the picture
The eyes are the eyes that I knew
But the luxurious hair and creamy complexion
Seem to me to be entirely new


The picture lost for a lifetime
Just emerged from its long hideaway
As I go through the years of treasures
On this very sad funeral day


My heart seems to be lifted from sorrow
As I study the elegant two
And have a whole different take on my parents
And all the events that they must have gone through


They lost their first two born babies
The depression was bringing folks down
They had to live in very small walk-up
Located in the middle of town


As the years passed into the boom times
Two more girl babies did arrive
They raised them up the best they could
And lived and kept hope alive


I carefully put back the picture
Fasten it carefully with all the old brads
I'll hang it in a prominent setting
With the other pictures of mother's and dad's


Joy3032