Like birds,
humans gather
objects to feather the nest.
First,
needs —
clothing, bedding, dishes.
Next,
mementos —
pottery, snow globes, tee shirts.
When children arrive,
boxes of baby clothes,
photographs, wooden toys
line the storage room shelves.
Weekends spent reading
mean shelves crammed
with books,
jazz albums
for the turntable.
Family heirlooms
passed down
through generations
fill sideboards and cupboards.
Before you know it,
you are carrying
the heavy weight
of shared experience.
This week,
I am unburdening.
No need to wait for
children to sort through
the detritus of my past.
A few items will remain,
but I do not need objects
to revisit a lifetime of memories.
A Reading Life 
Wow, good for you. This is really hard for me. I don’t even have anything all THAT special, but it’s still so hard to get rid big things! Good luck!
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Not an easy task you have started. Beautiful poem.
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Your poem is inspiring! This year I began a mission to “Discard and Discover.” I did great in January and then slowly slacked off. I need to get back to the Great Decluttering Project. This poem is lovely, especially the last two stanzas, which is exactly how I feel. Thanks and good luck!
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As someone who has downsized twice in the past two years, I love these words:
“I am unburdening.
… I do not need objects
to revisit a lifetime of memories.”
Much wisdom in your words. Kudos to you!
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True wisdom here. The way the objects you list pile up to become “the heavy weight/ of shared experience” captures so much, so eloquently. And to frame the act of shedding these objects as “unburdening” is a gift. Thank you.
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Truly stunning….I especially love the build up and gathering in the words. I feel like my home has filled with the “heavy weight” which most definitely needs to be unburdened.
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I’m feeling unburdened by reading these words. I’m picturing boxes, stacked piles, and tote bags filled and ready for donation. “A few items will remain/but I do not need objects/to revisit a lifetime of memories.”
Are you ready to write your own minimalistic lifestyle manual-in verse of course?
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What a wonderful poem. I want to unburden, and I am taking baby steps, but I need to light a fire and get moving! Thanks for the pep talk.
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This is so beautifully written! And the sentiment speaks volumes. I so love your last lines: “I do not need objects
to revisit a lifetime of memories.” So meaningful. I am, as you say, waiting for “the children to sort through” and that isn’t happening. You’re right about that. Wonderful post.
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This spoke to me like a shared experience as I am helping my family declutter. Just gorgeous writing with an even more spectacular view.
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These lines really spoke to me: “you are carrying/the heavy weight/of shared experience.” –It’s so interesting to think about the point at which all these items become too heavy in their totality. Your last line: “I do not need objects/to revisit a lifetime of memories.” is powerful. It’s a mantra I should work on repeating to myself as I work on letting go.
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Beth, like Sarah said, this poem is beautifully written. I love the message, and I think it may inspire me to unburden too. I’m getting to the point where I can’t find things I need because our small storage areas are overflowing.
I love this stanza for the metaphorical and literal meaning of “carrying the heavy weight”…
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Timely post to run across as my husband and I are beginning the task of preparing my mother-in-law’s house to be sold.
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Good luck!
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Thank you for the poem and this line especially: “I am unburdening”. Thank you for sharing a powerful poem.
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