a shoe box photo

the photo, yellowed at the edges,
along with others
in the shoebox
under the steps,
is in your hand.
you haven't seen that person
in some time
now. troubled in
black and white,
the edges scalloped
by your mother's sewing
scissors.
they weren't happier
times. not at all,
or simpler. you can't
gloss over
those times,
because you were there,
you were in the photo,
you were younger then,
but not nearly
as young as you are now.