The Welcome

The Key

53 The฀Key Once upon a time there was a man who had a magic key. The key would unlock any door in the universe. The man stayed home always in order to protect his magic key. One day a sprite came to him and said, “I am here for you. There is no one more beautiful than I in the universe. Give me your magic key and I will be your lover forever.” But the man would not part with his key. Instead he only guarded it more closely, never even emerging from the room where he kept the key. One night not long thereafter, a ghost visited the man. The ghost said, “Give me the key and I will punish all your enemies for you, even the enemies of your childhood.” But the man would not be swayed. Instead he guarded the key ever more closely, not even permitting himself to rise from the chair where the key was hid. And soon he had another visitor. The visitor was an alien from outer space. The alien said to the man, “Only give me your key, and I will teach you the principles of time travel. You will be master of time past, time present, and time future . You will make a huge fortune and be the envy of all mankind.” But the man with the key would have none of this. O foolish man, don’t you realize you can never use your magic key unless you give up guarding it in a little room? 01.Poems.1-64_Fried.indd฀฀฀53 11/28/05฀฀฀12:33:21฀PM ...