Must

I must remember these things

The beautiful things, the precious and pleasing things

Things that scintillate and sparkle inside

I must remember the things of the light

I must, or I will not survive the night.

I must hold on to what I have gathered 

What I gathered in joy, gathered in thankfulness

Things I gathered when my heart was full

I must hold on to what I have gathered while rejoicing

I must, or I will lose everything to despair

I must plant inside this feeling

This feeling of wholeness, this feeling of surfeit

This feeling of satiation that visits my heart 

I must plant this feeling for fear of losing

I must, or darkness will fill its space instead

I must burn this memory

This memory of love, memory of peace and plenitude

This memory that fills me with rapture, not loss

I must burn this memory onto my soul

I must, or I will forever be filled with regret

I must recognize truth
The truth that exists outside of my own creations
The truth that does not deceive me, does not mislead me
I must cleave to this truth with every fiber
I must, or I will always believe my traitorous heart