THE KEY

What does this old key unlock? you ask—

Which key performs which hidden task?

The one that fits my old front door?

We don’t use that anymore.

We used to turn cold metal tight,

Now numbers glow with ghostly light.

A digital code—each one unique—

Replaces hinge that used to squeak.

The key to my phone, my screen, my code,

Opens the path where data flows.

Apps and passwords guard the gate,

Numbers decide my life, my fate.

If I lose a key, I lose my way,

My love, my life could drift away,

Lose my door, my home, my phone—

Lose everything I’ve ever owned.

Yet still one key defies all schemes,

It lives in touch and tender dreams.

The key to my heart needs no device—

Just love returned—and that’s the price.

The key to my heart is charm and ecstasy—

A secret spark I rarely see.

No digits guard it, no hinge, no stone,

Just glitter, charm, and love alone.