A package arrived
Wrapped in cardboard and whispering promise
I opened it with glee and looked
At the photos of my past, present
And future
The face smiled back at me with hope in her eyes
How brave she was to face her most desperate fear
How innocent in her trust
Her hope, that she could escape
The realities of life
Hope is a dangerous thing
It fills you with invincibility
It makes you forget how hard the fall can be
That descent into the real world
The best of intentions
The most honorable of men
Cannot remove
The perils of hope
Crying, the photos fall from my hand
Scattering on the floor before me,
Abandoned and Lost
The gift ruined, the moment lost
Along with my courage
