Written by Pamela A Harazim

Strangers in the Box
Come, look with me inside this drawer,
In this box I’ve often seen,
At the pictures, black and white,
Faces proud, still, serene.I wish I knew the people,
These strangers in the box,
Their names and all their memories
Are lost among my socks.I wonder what their lives were like.
How did they spend their days?
What about their special times?
I’ll never know their ways.If only someone had taken time
To tell who, what, where, when,
These faces of my heritage
Would come to life again. Could this become the fate
Of the pictures we take today?
The faces and the memories
Someday to be tossed away?

Make time to save your pictures,
Seize the opportunity when it knocks,
Or someday you and yours could be
The strangers in the box.

© 1997 by Pamela A. Harazim

Pam writes:
“This website is lovely!
In 1997, I authored the poem titled, “Strangers in the Box.” At the
time I was teaching scrapbooking classes, and used the poem in my
presentations. I have found it in so many places, printed as “author
unknown,” but I am trying to correct this and ask that you credit me.

I originally wrote the poem when my mother had dementia, and I realized
that the stories she loved to tell me about her youth and her family
were locked inside her, and I didn’t remember them like I was so sure I
always would. Hence, the box of strangers. I have few stories of
family before my grandparents–I need to do some genealogy hunting for
myself!

I have included the original version at the end for your use on your
website-(shown above).. there are many variations out there! Please pass it on
to anyone with whom you shared my poem, and I’d love to know where you came
across it. I was astounded when I learned that my poem is everywhere!
I never put it on the web myself!

Feel free to include my email address, in case anyone has any questions.

Thanks,
Pam Harazim
East Hampton, C”