a gift from my Aunt Jane

we kept

the wedding photos,

captioned

and sealed

behind

plastic sheets,

in a large white album

under the coffee

table.

it was the first wedding.

a hundred

and fifty or so

of friends

and siblings, parents

and children.

all you can drink,

all you can eat.

there was a band too

playing Proud Mary,

and the Hustle

by Van McCoy,

and other

fabled tunes.

we kept

a tremendous

slice of wedding cake

in the freezer,

saved, to be eaten

on our one

year anniversary,

which never came.

i can still see

her walking up the street

a suitcase

in hand,

with a toaster

oven under her arm,

a gift from my Aunt Jane.