the sand softly rest on my palm
caressing the creases of my hand
tickling it with a funny smile
they just laid there
silent and serene
by my carelessness 
i let them seep through my fingers
grain by grain joins the rippling wind
panic arises 
so i quickly snap my hand shut
without knowing
i squeeze more little joys out of my hand
the harder i hold
the more they leave
i open my palm to the horizon
letting them breathe
letting them catch their breaths
but they refuse to stay
carry away with the wind
and into the sky
through the cracks
through my cracks
they rather be held 
in someone else's palm
and that's what they did
they fly away
and into someone else's hand
giving that someone joy
leaving me with an empty palm
with nothing to hold

© copyright, 1998