The Negative

Back in the day, when a photograph meant something

When one couldn’t wait to get the photos back from the lab,

And get to see Aunt Liz’s expression the moment

she was  being pushed into the pool

And little Billy in his Halloween vampire costume, 

Or Uncle Micky standing proudly in front of his new car.

one would receive a set glossy photos 

And along with that a set of photos 

One would also receive a set of negatives.

Negatives are brownish translucent pictures 

Negatives show peoples faces blacked out and there is a fine white

Glowing light around the various images.

The negatives where vaguely sinister. 

One the one hand the photos would show People in colour laughing and kibitzing,

On the other hand the negative showed  faceless ghosted images. 

It seemed like the negative revealed the hidden blackness of peoples souls

It felt like one was seeing who the people really were.

behind the veil. 

Derek Earl Houghton