Present

Someone, or something, had to give
and it is this: I'm giving you this heart.
There are a lot of pieces in the box,
assembling them's a bit of an art.

You'll need some strong adhesive and a key,
both of which you've easy access to.
It isn't new. I've had it now for years,
unmended though. See what you can do.

You may not have the courage or the time,
so keep it. With a little practice
one day you may be able to fix it.
It'll run like clockwork. The funny fact is

the first record I ever owned
was Elvis Presley's Wooden Heart.
Everything, it seems, can be taken apart
and maybe comes together, in the end.

Helena Nelson

If you've any comments on this poem, Helena Nelson would be pleased to hear from you.

This poem previously appeared in Obsessed with Pipework.