I will put in the box
The swish of a party dress on a
Summer night
Smoke from the sparkling
Firework display
And the piercing screech of a furry monkey.

I will put in the box
An old, forgotten Barbie doll with sore feet
A sip of an exotic cocktail
Called the Mickey Mouse
And a bucket and spade from Broadstairs
Beach.

I will put in the box
Three polite greetings spoken in
Sign language
The last joke from an ancient grandad
And the first steps of my baby cousin.

I will put in the box
A thirteenth month and a purple moon
A dragon in a tower
And a princess in a dark lair.

My box is fashioned from glass
And steel
With doodles on the lid
And laughter in the corners
Its hinges are made from the mighty
Tusks of elephants.

I shall climb in my box
To the colossal snowy peaks
Of the vast Himalayas
Then silently sleep in my bed
As soft as down.