- Spark -

Photograph, American River, 1986

Marie Reynolds

We are farther upstream

than I had remembered,

the water calmer, the vessel

stronger,

big enough to hold

the two of us--

a boat I can imagine

settling into again, rowing

upriver with him,

but slower this time,

and longer,

before pulling in the oars

and drifting.

- Prompt -

How many stories begin with “I remember…?” The story then recounts a person or an experience that stuck in the speaker’s mind. Over time, the story often begins to change as the speaker forgets certain aspects of the story or person and begins to fill-in new or altered details. Think of an event or person in your life you’d like to remember. Which details are important? Which details are you absolutely positive you remember accurately? Which details are you unsure of? Write down what you remember.