she loved her tan leather bag

probably more than she

loved us, her own children

her lucky charm she would say

and she carried that bag

everywhere – to church, grocery

store, work and even vacation

in time that leather began to

break down – like all living things

each stretch was a story etched

into memories that she carried

until her dying days

- Photo by farthestar.  Courtesy of https://pixabay.com/en/leather-tan-texture-distress-796204/