Redemption (i)

She ambled through the mysterious city
carrying all of her necessaries
in a patchwork-quilted bag
tossed carelessly over her left shoulder.
She marvelled at the magnificence all around her,
but she no longer knew who she was.

Sometimes she collapsed
under the weight of the shattered voices
that cast out the ribbons to ensnare her,
to bind her, to drag her back
to a place that no longer existed.

And as she wandered the strange streets of her new life,
lost amongst the steel and glass towers of the daring,
she paused to pick up pieces of her lost self.
Some were familiar and recognizable,
others were exotic and extraordinary.

At the end of the day,
ensconced in her tiny room,
surrounded by the seeds of newness,
she puzzled over how it all went together.
And even when the light grew dim
and none of the pieces fit,
she continued to collect and save them,
sorting them carefully into boxes labelled,
"Strength"...."Confidence"...."Determination"

And she used the trailing ribbons
to tie the boxes shut.

DLD/05JUL07