Photos so neatly arranged in albums
tell the story we want to remember
of life, of love, of laughter…
The problem is:
the photos are staged.
“Now look here!”
“Smile!”
“Say cheese!”
“Stop pinching your brother!”
“Don’t make bunny ears behind your sister’s head!”
Staged, I tell you,
more than a play ever was,
is,
or will be.
Because after all,
photos do not tell the truth,
no matter how consciously arranged.
They only tell
the story we want to remember.
—
Written for
dVerse,
not in response to the photos posted, but to the theme of arranging things.
We didn’t know back then how much things would change…now to iphones and instagram.
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Very nice piece…
All life is a stage or staged, in one way or another. And what we present to the world is no different from anyone else’s presentation, is it not true? The shadows, and hurts, and surprises, and secrets are always there for us to discern, or continue to hide, or reveal, or change.
In the words of Frank Sinatra – That’s life!
😉 Randy
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Something to ponder for sure…the connection between the need for perfectly posed pictures and perfect memories. Interesting take on the prompt!
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there’s so much truth to this. very well done.
http://www.warningthestars.com/
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This brings to mind the memories my sister and I shared when she was dying of pancreatic cancer…such divergent accounts of the same events. And all the oral history I’ve gathered from my mother? I’ve come to realize how, as a WWII widow, she painted everything with a sunshiny wash. It was how she survived! Astute write, Crystal.
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Yes, we always have an ideal in mind yet must deal with imperfect reality…so we work hard at our presentation! You bring us behind the scenes with these thoughts.
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