The Secrets We Keep Poem by RIC BASTASA

we keep secrets, i keep mine, like some jewels inside my heart,
they glow in the night even on a very slight stab of light
and i keep on hiding them, covering them with so much tenderness
like silk cloth and cord keeping a love letter that i have written
(unmailed) many years ago,

i keep my secrets like i keep my life, like the way i keep my friendship with you
for years and years,
these secrets keep me alive, giving me the desires to live a good life
you sometimes ask me what these are
and i give you the hint
about my oceans of choices, and you say, these secrets must be anything

and i am telling you, no, they are not anything, because there is no such
thing as anything when you know how to love and be still true
no matter what, even if you get old and no one remembers you
and cares for you, when what is near you is nothing but just the grave
and some flowers for the dead,

sigh

you have yours too, keep them, these secrets, treasure them, more than you
treasure yourself,
these secrets are the meanings you put to your life
not really figments of your imagination, or illusions, or air, or vapor

they are something beyond that, let us say, these are the spiritual ones
ask me more, nothing in particular, these are those that exist in the ocean
of choices, and they are more than anything, if fact they can be
everything, but for one thing, let me assure you

all these have this ingredient, this element, this main part:

it is still love in there, and the rest could be anything in your mind,
that is the secret.