…of my mind
Deep in every drop of dew
many rivers flow
keepers of the lost
and unfound
and the unrecoverable
all are drawn to it
but it’s secrets
will not be told
the gentle dew
most happily
bears its responsibility
finding joy in its obligation
lighter of heart for the trust
the secrets of rivers
will never be revealed
in stark contrast
I carry the burden
of many secrets
a constant heavy weight
I keep them locked away
far from the light of day
secured
with my skeleton key
my key alone
can roam
the dark recesses
of my crowded mind
shifting my secrets
from place to place
into corners and shadows
that even I can never find
but night after night
in my dreams
my key and I
both wander the dark woods
and the deep oceans
of my mind
retrieving my secrets
one by one
for just a brief moment
turning them
over and over
in my hands
then pushing them back
further and further
into darkness
swearing again and again
that they will never be free
that their only companions
will be my skeleton key
and me
© Ann Bagnall
