After all that is said
And all that is done,
Am I just a face
To go unrecognized?

Will there be children
Pointing at me,
Within the frame of an old picture,
Asking "Who is she?"

In response,
Will there be an adult
Wracking his brain,
Yet unable
To remember my name?

Or worse,
Will I be scowled upon?

Waved away,
In an act of anger,
As they recall
Every mistake,
Every fault
In my life,
While forgetting
All the good.

In the years to come
I will be nothing.

Everything that I've done,
All the goals I've accomplished,
And all the effort I've wasted
Will be for nothing.

So as kids stare
At an ancient family photo,
Without giving a care,
Make sure to inform them
On the significance
Of a lasting impression.

Because when all is said
And all is done,
The last thing anyone wants to be
Is a long forgotten memory.

***

It's officially been an entire month of poems.
Wow. Honestly, I didn't think I'd last this long.

8/20/2017