Junk Or Treasure Poem – The Value of What We Hold Onto
- Deborah Ann Martin
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
The Little Places We Keep Our Most Important Things
I think most kids have a place where they keep their special things. It might be a box, a drawer, or a hidden spot no one else knows about. Those items may not look important to anyone else, but to a child, they mean everything. This junk or treasure poem comes from those memories of holding onto things that told a story about my life.
As a child, I had my own collections. They were not expensive or valuable in the way adults might think. But they were pieces of moments I wanted to keep. Small reminders of people, days, and feelings that mattered to me.
I even had a hiding place. A small area near an attic door where I kept a red case filled with my treasures. That space was mine. It held pieces of my childhood that I thought I would always have.
Junk Or Treasure
As a girl, I had collections.
My reflections
Of special days
Or of neat things that caught my gaze.
In my room, was the attic door
With a small floor.
A hiding place
For my treasures in the red case
My case had toys, paper, knick-knacks,
Old set of jacks,
Stuff, words of truth,
Pictures and cards of Rose, and Ruth.
Our home sold; the case left behind.
Treasures to find.
Will the owners
Find value or feel it's junk.
From Everyday Moments
Part of the Life Moments Series
© 2026 Deborah Ann Martin. All rights reserved.
Reflection on My Junk Or Treasure Poem
This poem brings me back to a time when the smallest things felt the most important. As a child, I collected items that may not have meant much to anyone else, but to me, they held memories. Each piece told a story. A day I wanted to remember. A person who mattered to me. A moment that made me feel something.
That red case was more than just a container. It was a part of my life.
When our home was sold and I left that case behind, I did not fully understand what that meant at the time. As I look back now, I realize it was not just about losing things. It was about losing pieces of memories that I had carefully saved.
What stands out to me now is the question at the end of the poem.
Will someone else see those items as treasure, or will they see them as junk?
That question is bigger than just a box of childhood items. It reflects how different people place value on things. What means everything to one person may mean nothing to another. Those small objects carried emotion, memory, and meaning for me, but to someone else, they might just look like clutter.
This poem is also a reminder of how we grow.
As adults, we often look at things differently. We may clean out boxes, throw things away, or simplify our lives. But there is still something important about remembering what those items meant to us at the time.
They were never just things. They were pieces of who we were.
The Style Behind the Words
Poetry Style Name: Reflective Narrative Poetry with elements of Nostalgic and Lyric Poetry
Structure and Form: Multi-stanza free verse poem with short, couplet-like groupings and intermittent rhyme. The structure follows a clear narrative progression from childhood memories and treasured objects to loss and reflection, ending with an open-ended question that invites interpretation about value and meaning.
Tone: Nostalgic, reflective, and slightly bittersweet
Poetic Devices:
Meter: Short lines with a gentle, rhythmic flow that mimics memory and reflection
Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme: Irregular rhyme with moments of couplets (examples: collections / reflections, days / gaze, door / floor, behind / find), creating a soft lyrical quality without strict consistency
Sound and Rhythm: Light, almost childlike rhythm that reflects the innocence of memory
Imagery:
Visual imagery of childhood objects (“toys,” “paper,” “knick-knacks,” “red case”)
Sensory and emotional imagery tied to memory and personal value
Storytelling: Clear narrative arc from childhood collecting → emotional attachment → loss of physical items → questioning their meaning to others
Repetition: Subtle repetition of simple structures reinforces the reflective tone
Internal Monologue: Reflective voice looking back on personal memories and their significance
Contrast:
Treasure vs. junk
Personal value vs. external perception
Childhood innocence vs. adult reflection
Juxtaposition: Places meaningful personal items alongside ordinary objects to highlight subjective value
Metaphor:
“Treasure” symbolizes emotional significance rather than monetary worth
“Junk” represents how others may undervalue personal memories
Alliteration: Subtle use in phrases like “paper…pictures” and “stuff…small”
Enjambment: Lines flow into one another, maintaining a gentle narrative pace
Rhetorical Question: Ending question (“Will the owners…”) invites reader reflection and interpretation
Symbolism:
“Red case” = container of memories and identity
“Attic” = hidden past / stored memories
“Collections” = personal history and emotional attachments
Tone Shift:
Begins warm and nostalgic
Moves into loss and absence
Ends with curiosity and unresolved reflection
Diction (Word Choice): Simple, concrete, and memory-driven language enhances relatability and authenticity
Theme: Memory, value, childhood, loss, and perspective
Reading Level: 6th grade and up, clear, simple, and meaningful
Explore More Everyday Moments
This poem is part of my upcoming book Everyday Moments, where I capture real-life memories, reflections, and the small moments that shape us.
Stay tuned for the release of Everyday Moments this year.
About the Life Moments Series
This poem is part of my Life Moments Series, which explores the beauty, heartbreak, and growth we experience in everyday life.
Each book in the series captures different themes, love, heartbreak, parenting, joy, childhood, and more.
You can read more poetry or explore all of my books
References
Everyday Moments, Deborah Ann Martin, 2026 (Upcoming Release)
Deborah Ann Martin Amazon Author Central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/deborahamartin
About the Author:
Deborah Ann Martin is the founder of Surviving Life Lessons, a published author, poet, speaker, and trainer with over 20 years of management experience across multiple industries. An MBA graduate, U.S. veteran, single mother, and rare cancer survivor, Deborah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her writing on resilience, leadership, personal growth, and overcoming adversity. Her mission is to empower others with practical wisdom and real-life insight to navigate life’s challenges with strength and purpose.
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