…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