it is dark, and in the center of the dark
is a white spotlight
and a box as if on the floor
of a stage
a hand enters the light
it is lifting the box and holding it up for display
but what is the box
is it pandora’s dowry
or
a collection of nails and screws from my father’s garage
does it drip with old motor oil
are rust flakes clinging to the hand
is it covered in mud and clinging roots
inside a tin robot, ripped playing cards, a length of string
and a box of matches
is it tin or wood is it light or heavy
and if it’s heavy will the thing inside blind me
is it the ark of the covenant
or an old wedding ring
or a penny, or a dead worm
the hand retreats with the box
pulls back into the dark
there is only the spotlight
and the light is gone
Jan 26, 2013
Jan 26, 2013 at 4:04 AM UTC
it is dark, and in the center of the dark
is a white spotlight
and a box as if on the floor
of a stage
a hand enters the light
it is lifting the box and holding it up for display
but what is the box
is it pandora’s dowry
or
a collection of nails and screws from my father’s garage
does it drip with old motor oil
are rust flakes clinging to the hand
is it covered in mud and clinging roots
inside a tin robot, ripped playing cards, a length of string
and a box of matches
is it tin or wood is it light or heavy
and if it’s heavy will the thing inside blind me
is it the ark of the covenant
or an old wedding ring
or a penny, or a dead worm
the hand retreats with the box
pulls back into the dark
there is only the spotlight
and the light is gone
