Blueprint

By: Kyle Elden

The blueprint was astounding
the potential incredulous
they stared for days at the sleek white paper,
at the meticulously drawn lines
of what could be

They fooled themselves
with all the right materials
stacked neatly next to the
beautifully constructed design
stocked aside the prospect
of something great
and even though they knew
this land was ridden
with boulders and jagged rocks, knew
this place was not suitable to build
she laid down her precious pearls
and he his precious stones
and they began construction

And so it goes
everything raised
all that was resurrected
every nail used to hold together
this possible masterpiece
crumbled against the rocky foundation
nothing took root

Now this place is ruins
wood and cement and debris
timidly heaped and broken on the ground
and it is no surprise that what was
sacred that was given
as an offering in exchange for hope
is now shattered fragments, broken pieces,
crushed precious material
underneath the rubble of what could have been
for all along they knew,
they knew it would not stand here,
not in this way