If love could be preserved-

 If love could be preserved like a flower, 

I’d place it deep where the stories lie,

Where the petals dry and the colors fade,

Yet, the soul would never truly die.

If love could be preserved like a leaf,

I’d put it pressed inside a book: old,

Where our secrets are held in the veins,

And its fragile story waiting to be told. 

If love could be preserved like an old letter,

I’d keep it safe and hidden inside a box, 

Where the scent of you is locked forever,

And the softly written words knocks.

If love could be preserved like a scarf, 

I’d warp it around carefully for years,

Where its threads would still hold your gentle touch,

And the comfort that outlasts all the fears.

If love could be preserved like a vase, 

I’d place it in the corner with dim lights,

Where each of its color would hold parts,

And shimmer brightly through days and nights.

If love could be preserved like a locket, 

I’d place in it, your photo, close to mine,

Where a tiny world of you and I laid,

And the memories lived forever, just fine.

If love could be preserved like a ring,

I’d treasure it with grace, where my heart can see,

And make it last beyond all times,

As a token where all our initial promises could be.

-Smarika Pandey