the gift

can you see that gleam
in the silver of your dark eyes?
can you feel the flutter
in the hollow of your chest?
can you hear the whisper
of a song only your ears hear?
wait. hold on.
open the tender palms
of your folded heart,
and receive it all.
hold it for a while
in the cup of your mind,
look at it,
roll it around,
hear it speak softly
as it makes friends with you,
touch its many faces,
feel it grow wings and roots
reaching out to you,
don't be in a hurry
to make it flower and fruit,
to find a reason, a use,
or to scatter the joy with abandon;
wait. hold on.
and watch it lie still
somewhere inside you,
growing
in and with you,
as you fold your heart
one more time
in prayer,
cherishing the gift
of a lifetime,
yours,
to give away now
with a smile.