I had put away the dream,

Lovingly laid it to rest in a velvet box,

Covered it with parting tears,

Softly kissed the lid, and locked it away.

It became a memory of something I once wanted,

The pain numbed by placing it out of reach.

Years later, you saw the box and urged me to open it.

I was scared, but I longed to look again.

You held my trembling hand as I turned the key,

And we both gasped at the beauty of what lay inside.

We clasped it tightly to our collective breast

And wept with joy at the miracle of it.

Now I hold it on my own,

Knowing it means nothing in my hand alone,

But unable to close the lid again.

©1997 Gail Von Schlichting

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