A Pocket Full of Light – A Poem

How are you sir?

 

I turned around

and saw the

man who had

been working the

table in front

of me. The

table was covered

in all sorts

of rings and

things that glittered.

 

I’m fine, thank you.

 

And how is your pocket?

 

My pocket?

 

I reached into

it and pulled

out some Kleenex

and a pack

of gum. I

showed them to

him, unsure of

what this was

about. A woman

behind him said:

 

Where did you put the silver ring?

 

It’s right there on the table.

 

I didn’t like

where this was

going. Being accused

of theft amongst

a crowd of

people, all of

them looking at

me. I pointed:

 

It’s right there, in the display tray.

 

I saw you put something into your pocket. Make him empty the other one.

 

The woman was

scowling, trying to

figure out what

I had done

when I had

done nothing wrong.

 

Would you mind sir? Empty the other pocket please.

 

I nodded, not

wanting to anger

either of them.

I unzipped my

pocket and the

store became brighter

as if lit

by the sun.

 

What is that?

 

Another woman said

this, and she

leaned down to

look in my

coat pocket. I

saw more light

as she opened

it further. She

let out a

small, soft cry.

When she stood,

she was crying

but a smile

was on her

face, making her

ten years younger.

 

I just saw myself dancing with my husband. That was fifty years ago and he’s ten years gone. It was the happiest moment of my life. Thank you.

 

She touched my

arm and another

person moved forward,

this time a

man. He was

old and walked

with a cane.

 

Mind if I have a look?

 

He bent down

and looked inside

my pocket. The

brilliance of light

increased around us.

He let the

pocket close and

stood back up.

He was smiling

from ear to

ear, and his

smile radiated a

glow that matched

his eyes. He

shook my hand.

 

Thank you, sir! Thank you! I saw the day I met my husband. We’ve been together for thirty years but only got married a few years ago. God, he looked so good back then. Still does.

 

He gave me

his cane with

a roguish wink.

 

I won’t be needing this anymore.

 

People began to

gather closer to

me, all of

them looking at

my pocket with

intense curiosity. The

woman who had

accused me stared

with something like

hunger. The man

who ran the

store came closer.

 

Can you empty your pocket sir? I’d like to see what’s in there for myself.

 

I nodded, not

sure of what

else to say.

 

Don’t do it! It’s a trick! He’s working magic!

 

She licked her

lips as she

said this, hungry

even for something

she didn’t understand.

I reached into

my pocket and

felt something there,

a sphere shaped

object. Slowly I

pulled it out

of my pocket

The brightness was

instantaneous and as

I held onto

the sphere, the

light grew even

brighter still. I

wondered if the

light was coming

from the sphere

or from me.

As more people

cried out, each

seeing the moment

in their lives

that had made

them the happiest,

I could resist

no longer. I

looked directly into

the light and

saw a man’s

face. I wondered

who he could

be, who he

was. I had

never seen him

before. The light

began to dim

slowly as if

receeding back into

the sphere. When

it was dark

again, I looked

up and saw

the man I

had seen in

the light across

the room, looking

right at me.

As he walked

towards me, I

could feel the

sphere grow warm.

As he drew

closer to me,

brightness bloomed once

more. Then he

was right in

front of me

and took my

free hand in his.

The brilliance grew

brighter still until

we were both

bathed in light.