What We Keep

As instructed

by my grandmother

at ninety-eight,

hoarder of small things,

scraps and baubles

filling drawers.

"They'll come in handy someday"

  she would say.

I save things too,

the way a child

tucks found treasures

in her pockets.

Last night, I chose the soft

lavender ring around the moon,

today, the call of loons

across the bay.

the great blue heron rising

in the Lost Creek Slough.