Music

Songs cram my head:
Lyrics and melodies twist together and twirl
Daring me to try to forget them.
Tunes push their way in
Pulling their words behind them
closer than a U-Haul trailer behind a SUV.
Words squat in front of my mind
Forcing memories to hitch a ride.
Nina Simone and Luther Vandross and Dakota Staton and Jeffrey Osbourne form a chain.
Old lyrics breathe life into old dreams and awaken sleeping memories:
Slow dances at campus parties with old crushes.
Wonderings peep out before emerging.
‘What ifs’ shows themselves.
I look at my life and question the paths not chosen.