He built a small, glass cube,
each side 8" x 8",
and neatly sealed the edges
with clear silicone
carefully squeezed
from a white tube.

So the top could serve as a lid,
he searched online
until he found
simple, sterling-silver hinges
and a matching sterling latch
with a sterling padlock
and a sterling key.

Within this cube
he stored that which he valued most,
that which was most fragile.

8" x 8" x 8"–
ample enough room,
given the size of the contents.

But at least here it was safe.

To protect it,
he locked it in the box when he went to work,
    when he visited family,
    when he  left on a date,
    when he attended church. 

But in the evenings,
when all was quiet,
and the front door latched, 
and the dog curled contentedly by the fire,
he caried the box
from the closet to the coffee table,
opened the silver latch with his silver key,
removed its contents,
and pressed it to his chest.

Warmth spread.
He sank into the softness of the sofa.

It was,
of course,
his heart.

Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.