University of Minnesota
minnesota writing project
center for writing
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Minnesota Writing Project.Center for Writing's home page.

Amy Randall

© 2003

I Stood In Silence…

Adapted from “Canvas” by Adam Zagajewski

I stood in silence before a wooden chest,
before a box that might have been
firewood, a carving, a tool
but instead held unknown treasures.

I stood in silence before a wooden chest
that has been preserved throughout the years.
Its hinges a gate to its hidden contents.
A symbol of healing, of abundance, of prosperity.

Countless hands have touched it,
Numerous eyes have reveled in its beauty.
Hearts have coveted what they cannot have.
The pure simple lines, preserved integrity.

It may have been the keeper of tools,
The protector of a dowry.
Its scratches, chips, and dents well earned.
It has become history.