Camera Roll by Madalynn Mumme

15,642 things sit in my camera roll.

2,673 videos,

7,365 photos,

None of which include you.

They go back many years ago to 2016.

Two years before meeting you,

Three until you died.

Years ago there was one picture,

A selfie during summer, smiling

Watching my sister play softball

Now as an incoming ninth-grader.

Looking at my image

Led to self-insecurity and scrutiny

Then to the deletion of its existence.

Anything, anything, anything

To give to get that one photo back.

Why was the picture deleted?

The photo is in her camera roll, 

My actions can’t recover it.

Over 2,628,000 minutes,

43,800 hours,

1,827 days,

60 months,

5 years now almost 6,

Was the last time being able to see you,

Ever seeing you.

Thousands sit out of fear

Of someone passing.

Memories last but tangible recollections

Bring peace, comfort, and absoluteness.

There’s comfort in these photos.

You may not physically be in them but

Your memory lives forever in my camera roll.