(There and back again.)
Couldn’t see the circle until I tripped over the starting line
Laughing it off, getting up,
But not stepping forward
(Again.)
.
.
.
He sat there, silent, on the rock
Staring, gazing, talking;
Whisp'ring at the distant hawk
Within the waters, walking
For in the liquid sat himself,
Reflected, quiet, hiding,
Although his face framed perfect health
The wet eyes were deciding
In all the days and nights before
The waves had washed his thoughts unclear
Plunging, forming, lost in lore
Reflections lost in whispers dear
And now the water, languid, calm
In startling truth and arid air
Like laden wisps of silent psalms
Reflected nothing there.
It seemed himself yet seemed untrue
His face, though rather fair
Amidst the pale sky’s mirrored blue
Something wasn’t there—
—Wakeful winds of silent times in decrescendo dance
Biting airs, cremated cares together murder chance
Inveigled serendipity asphyxiates in trance
Alone in wish-torn quietude will emptiness enhance
Solemnities of remedies attempt to mend the last
Forgetful airs in melodies that wind-chime of the past
Ringing of the enemies whose thoughtful shadows cast
Gentle aches of all the stakes, all driven in too fast
And smile again, he dearly tried
A laugh caught on his tongue
Mirth dammed up behind his eyes
and welling, swelling lungs…
…(Once upon a Neverland and sky-shy shattered stars
Once upon the silver lining fragile strongholds gave
Once upon forgetful oceans salines shimmered cues
Naïve, a raindrop dashed and drowned within itself, not far
From ever-lost horizons where sweet dreams joined idle waves
(I closed my eyes, in dark reprise, and try to forget—
— — —Once, once upon a time,
A boy stared into the water, face heavy
Hollow air weighing where his heart should be
(And though he wasn’t)
...He was smiling in the ripples…
Submission Name: Smiles in the Ripples
