Dowry

saving up
those memories
like some sort of
dowry for my heirs

as though
i were queen of
a place of pain
collecting rubies of misfortune
diamonds sparkling loneliness
ruling over
a land
that has no idea

turn the key
open the rusted lock

let all the hurts out

reveal what's inside
what i've saved up
all these years

little mementos
little reminders
that i was there
that i lived through it