An
old shoebox shoved
to
the back of the top shelf
of
the clothes closet,
forgotten,
recalling
another
time, a ship,
the
exotica of Manila,
the
danger of Tokyo:
a
sewing kit of flaking leather
a
ration card, partially unused
a
photographic booklet
of Shanghai
a
pocket New Testament
King James Version
a
stout cloth belt still usable
a
Christmas card dated 1945
a
receipt for the purchase of a lot
back home signed
by someone unrecognized
a
brass Chinese wedding cup
a
warship’s newsletter
discharge
papers
discharge
papers
Photograph: USS Repulse, World War II
