Cordova

Your mother calls me into your bedroom
I walk in to find her kneeling by the dresser drawer
An empty glass of wine to her left
Your framed obituary card lying on the floor

Catholic hymns play soft on the TV
She starts removing your old clothing
Your old shirts, class sweater, and your practice jersey
She waves me over and hands them to me

I smell the scents of your living body
I almost feel your essence
I hold your clothing tight in my hand
And think of you chasing loose balls with your friends

Sydney's in town for the weekend
We smoke her cigarettes
And listen to The Cars on cassette
And I wish you were here
You had so much life to live still

Your shirts hang in my closet
Unwashed always and still unworn
Your old shirts hang in my closet
I only took them cause your mother implored

See them and think of us as children
Passing days in our youthful stride
A world of open windows
Watching Lakers games when you'd spend the night

I wanna be the kind of person people miss
Learn to love those around me the way you did
I wanna see past all my stupid problems
Learn to see the world outside myself

I know who you are
I know who you were
And I guess that that's enough
I know you are
Yeah, I know who you were
And I swear the I'll keep that with me