A Costly Collection

I am a simple collector
Here lay the sum of my finds
Parts of me so long forgotten and heavy
Carried through Year 29

There are my tender and trepid
Here my condemned and admired
Pieces of silver I say that I'm proud of
Some to explain why I hide

I am a simple collector
And the collection at times
Made of old coins and old cards kept in boxes
I am the sum of my finds

I'm what remains of the young boy
Riding a trike down the stairs
Split his chin open, when mother consoled him
He got up to ride down again

I'm in the break in the summer
Strings tied to kites in the park
The sweat and the sand and our knees with their red marks
Our mission to outrun the dark

I'm the remarks of my father
Winter when I crashed the car
The truth suffocated, confession belated
He forgave my ignorant heart

I'm in the place you were made queen
Autumn in old Custer park
Fixed in my ring was the message affirming
That you are the one for my heart
I'm in the hickory kitchen wiping the rain from your eyes
The reckless exchange of my honest mistake
All it took to see part of you die

I'm in the ripe heavy closure
Of my grandfather's goodbye
And all that remains as my memory takes them
A pattern for how to love kind

I am a simple collector
And a collection of mine
Made up of coins and old cards kept in boxes
I am the sum of my time here

Oh, I think I can bare this
Oh, I'm ready to share it
Oh, the costly collection
Hm, my costly collection
Oh, think I'm ready to share it