I open my treasure box, containing buttons
that I had saved over my years
as a housewife and mother
My fingers caress the rough texture of a flat round button
I took it off one of my husbands shirt
that he was discarding
That shirt was blue checked
It matched the color of his eyes
My heart flipped when his broad shoulder filled it out
This tiny flat pearl button
had been on a soft little day gown that
our cherished baby wore
My heart fills with love as I remember
the sweet baby smell of our precious ones
This one is a lady bug button that had been on a
summer dress I made for my little girl
She is all grown up now, but I still see
her in my mind's eye in that cute outfit
Sometimes I long for those days
This dinosaur button was on my son's shirt
when he was a toddler
He would crawl on the floor pushing his toy truck
His blond hair shinning and his blue
eyes happy with the discovery of what he could do
This one is navy blue with a anchor emblem
I took it from my love's pea-coat he wore when he was in the navy
before I knew him
now my son is grown up and he wears it to school with pride
This round white satin is one
I covered to go on my daughter's wedding dress
She was just beautiful in that dress
She still is beautiful
The garments and days are gone the way that
days and garments go
Garments can be replaced but these memories will
linger long in my heart
As my fingers touched the many buttons
each reminds me of a happy time in my life