for years, i carried a box

full of pieces of shattered me

because i never had a chance

to put them together again before something would upend

the box and scatter the pieces again.

each time, the fragments

would chip or break into more

pieces, becoming more difficult

to see the whole.

until you.

you were patient.

you took the pieces and saw

what they were.

you helped lay them out

and clean them off

allowing edges to become

defined and obvious

so that parts of me

could be restored.

the box that once was full of pieces that

i had forgotten where

they went

has now been emptied

with no need to carry it

allowing my arms to

fulfill their purpose

in life . . .

holding you.