Sometimes the smell of gingersnap cookies resonates in the air.
The chaotic Sunday nights after we got home from an evening at the park one cousin running around pulling out board games from the closet, while another was slipping their tiny feet into grandma’s old heels and stomping around the kitchen tiles.
Christmas Day was in that small house on a hill every year, a house built on the foundation of love. A house that had been called home for more years than you could count on two hands.
It was a house where we all felt safe, even when the sun set and darkness swallowed the sky.
The night was filled with old cartoons on VHS and three trips to the kitchen in the same hour to grab another snack from the cluttered kitchen table.
When it was time to sleep, two or three children would curl up underneath the layers of quilts and sheets.
We would argue over who got the spot next to grandma that night, or when it was peaceful, we would stare at the ceiling and say whatever was on our minds.
Then, grandma would switch off the lamp on her dresser, gently pull back the sheets, and lay down next to us.
She would pray, asking God to keep us safe and sound and simply thanking him for her family, showing her gratitude.
As our eyes would start to flutter shut and sleepiness overcame us, she would turn to face the wall, gently trace circles on my little arm, and smile.
Goodnight, she would say to us. I love you.
Emma Lambert
Hi! My name is Emma Lambert and I am from Charleston, SC. I am 17 and in my junior year at Wando High School. I have been writing creatively for as long as I can remember, but I am also a part of my school’s yearbook program, Legend.
My freshman year I started in journalistic writing and I’ve been covering stories about real people who I go to school with since. Writing has gradually become a huge part of my life over the years; I’ve delved into short stories, poetry, and I drafted my first fiction novel in November.
I work at Charleston County’s after-school program, Kaleidoscope, with 2nd through 5th graders and I love spending time with children. I plan to go to college for English/Literature, with a minor in creative writing and psychology. My Instagram is @emmalambertt_ !
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An excellent poem, Emma. You took me into those memories very deftly.