Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Antiquity


I carefully open the old family Bible, the pages stiff and fragile with age. Long years it spent tucked away in the trunk amidst letters from home penned early 1900 by those long forgotten. The binding creaks as I lay it flat upon the bed beside me, eager to unearth treasures sealed within its pages. Faded pictures depicting familiar bible scenes weave the story, and bring to mind lessons from my childhood. A photo, lovingly wrapped in parchment paper, adheres to a page, and dried fern branches speak of losses once deeply felt. Gradually I move through the books of the Bible exposing the contents long hidden from human eyes. And then I find it. Folded into a perfect square, and tied about with what appears to be a perfectly preserved braided lock of hair, its water-stained exterior denotes an age far beyond the other contents held captive between the pages. Placing the treasure in my hand, I gently stroke the braid, drawn, yet repulsed; touching a fragment of a life lived so very long ago. Unwilling to disturb the fragile parcel born in antiquity, I place it gently back within the pages of its tomb, wanting to protect the treasure held within.
© 2010 by Maureen Newman. All rights reserved.
Written in response to a prompt from Magpie Tales.

11 comments:

  1. Beautifully written, Maureen. Of course, I want to know what was in the parcel, but understand why someone would be unwilling to disturb it.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  2. I have a Bible just as you described yours...such a lovely Magpie.

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  3. I felt we should have just a weeny bit more of a hint as to who the wrapped photo was . . .

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  4. I don't want a hint, a clue, or anything else that doesn't truly matter. What mattered are the creaks, groans, and rustling sounds, the feeling of something held for antiquity instead of ripped open for curiosity.

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  5. I love the feelings this prompted...nice work.

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  6. Beautifully worded post ... but I too am curious to know the contents of the parcel.

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  7. lovely....makes me think of things stuck between the pages of my own books...

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  8. Some memories are meant to be left undisturbed, just enjoyed because they exist. Beautiful.

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  9. absolutely stunning...the things held inside

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  10. Stunning reminders of the ubiquitous items becoming so much larger than themselves when tucked between pages and time.

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  11. Maureen this is truly lovely in everyway....a poignant Magpie! :-)

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