My Attic Door

for safekeeping
for I'll-think-about-it-later-because-I-can't-bear-another-minute-of-it-right-now
for careful, don't lose it this time,
for safe harbour
for out-of-sight-out-of-mind
I put things away
in the attic

last time I put the treasure away
wrapped round with a delicate purple scarf
nestled in with the tiny plastic dancer
latched tight in a small white box
at the bottom of a chest
in the room piled high with chests of treasure
where the dust settles to cover my footprints
as the door is closed
and locked behind me
but my attic door
never stays closed,
even when I'm sure
I locked it
the things put away
can be found in places
where I know
I did not leave them
that is if they can be found again
at all
like love...
last spring I put it away
somewhere safe
wrapped in that soft purple scarf
so it wouldn't get lost
so I could think about it
so I could keep it
and get back to it later
when things were different
or different-er
but I forgot just where I put it
to keep it safe

then I remembered the spot
and rushed back to reclaim it
but the wisps and tendrils had escaped
sneaked out through the cracks
leaving the locket
empty

perhaps I need to look
at getting
that old lock
fixed
clear out
some of
what's waiting for later
because time
really doesn't
matter