Three Keys
She wore them 'round her slender neck
Three ornate keys on chain of fine silver
She caught me gazing in their direction
and whispered in my ear, "Which one?"
Which key would I choose if given a choice?
Gold, the brightest, caught my eye first.
Would it open her heart to love only me,
or lock the door to keep us apart?
A silver key had become tarnished over time
but didn't detract from its shapely form.
Though not as beautiful as the young maid,
I wondered if it was the right key to her heart.
Smallest of them all was the one cast in bronze.
Her smile vanished when my hand reached out.
My fingers were warmed at the slightest touch
of the key that fell from the chain's broken clasp.
From her moist hazel eyes, rained tears of relief.
From her lips, the faint curve of a tender smile.
She placed a soft hand against my cheek and said,
"I've been waiting for you for such a long while."
7/19/2016
Three Keys Contest-John Lawless
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