PLEASE DO TOUCH

PLEASE, DO TOUCH

The pretty little china vase,

so careful of its beauty,

forgets it also has a place

of service and of duty.

Too often it but stands

upon the quiet shelf,

unused by roughened hands,

so smug within itself.

Too rare to see it filled,

too rare to see it used,

too rare to see it spilled,

and thus by use abused.

So fill the vase with fragrance,

with ointment and perfume;

then break it, be extravagant –

bring light into the gloom.

And thus as we are broken

and spilled into the air

we find a joy unspoken

that comes to meet us there.

Published by Sir Rhodri