Thrift Store Shopping

Upon entering, it
doesn't look like much.
The air always
leaves a musty taste
and every surface is
covered by a faint
cloud of dust.

But get into it -
dig through the boxes,
paw through the
racks of fifty cent
clothes - and stories
start to emerge.

That old clock, was
it an anniversary
gift for a couple's
golden party -
or a lonely
gentlemen's comrade,
counting down the
moments until time
was no more?

And what about that
fancy black dress with
the feathery cap?
Was it worn in mourning
for a long lost love -
or bought with pride
for a single mother's
graduating son?

The merchandise speaks
to us, reminds us
of a past we never
knew existed -
and gives us hope
for the future
we still hold
in our hands.