They were all lined in a row,
lids securely tightened,
filled to the brim.
All of the heartaches, regrets,
abandoned dreams I had
collected for decades.
Until one day,
I saw them for what
they truly were:
rotting, toxic memories
whose stench even
the airtight seals
could not mask.
Gathering the jars
in my arms, my legs traveled
as fast as I could go without
dropping a single vessel.
Kneeling on the cold earth,
I dug frantically, depositing
the jars and covering them
with dirt before my mind
had an opportunity
to rebel. With the last
scoop of earth covering
the keepers of death,
I felt the warmth
of the sun moments before
its light radiated through
the dark cover of clouds.
As I brushed the dirt
from my knees and hands,
I felt a weight lift from
my chest, a faint scent
of approaching spring
lingering in the air.
And I had new insight
on all the opportunities
I would encounter
on the road ahead.
–January 20, 2016
