Letters for No One: 17. Poke

Inside the shell

of my guarded heart,

You poke in

little by little

shaking it lightly

making me feel

things I hadn't had before

tik, tik, tik

Until all the shells fall off

you gasped as the center was dark

almost empty

scarred and battered

yet the hopeful soul remains

that's just waiting for its guard

to finally come

and fill in the missing pieces.