Family History

Family History by Edmund Siejka A sense of guilt Made him search the hall closet Until he found the old cardboard box. Opening it He stared At a handful of dusty photos. He remembered Aunt Jenny, Who told funny stories, How families in Europe Lived near borders and one could have a German last name And be French or even Czech. Or how uncle Tomas Made his way to York, PA. Thinking it was New York When told that it wasn’t He shrugged his shoulders Saying York, PA was okie dokie by him. Or cousin Laurence who worked in a coal mine Until he couldn’t take it anymore And ran away to a dairy farm in New Jersey. Putting the faded photos back into the carboard box He wondered if his granddaughter really wanted To research their family tree Like she promised. When the realization came to him That most of the photos had been thrown away Back when his father said No one wanted to remember the old days. Pushing aside coats and jackets He carefully returned the box back to the hall closet Regretting that he never kept the old photos and papers. Sitting down He wondered if anyone even cared That the old days had been mindlessly tossed away.