Opening Doors

I will present you parts of me slowly
if you are patient and tender.
I will open doors that mostly stay closed
and share places, people and things
sounds and smells, loves and losses
my hopes and dreams
bits and pieces of my life
that have been ripped off in chunks
and found lying in my hands
that have eaten their way into my memory
and carved their way into my heart.
Although you will never see them
they are me.
If you regard them lightly, deny that they
are important or worse - judge them
I will quietly, slowly begin to wrap them
up in small pieces of velvet,
like worn silver and gold jewelry
tuck them away into the corners of my mind
and close.

Jan H Emfinger