Scrapbook

Scrapbook has been published in All of Me Vol. IV, courtesy of Shadow Spark Publishing. Featured art is by Brooke Shaden.

Listen to Scrapbook by Richard Charles Stevens

Listen to The Box Part II by Orbital

I felt drawn to this place
Always had
And every time my heart grew sad
I dreamed that I would make it back someday
To where we used to play
Before the key was snatched away
Before I grew attached to pain
Before I felt mismatched to faith
Before I fell flat on my face
And felt obliged there to remain
Until the angel in my view proceeded breathing me to life again

All the while
Had felt drawn to this place
Had a feeling
One fine day
I would return and learn its secret
No question I would keep it
Or suggestion of forewarned displace
No war between the states
For I deplored such narrow straits
My eyes were wide
My face was blushed
And for the first time since a child expelled
I felt enough

Hurried to the tallest oak
And gazed up at the summit
Seemed an awful long way up
And some way down to plummet
Summoned up a quart of brave and half a pint of courage
Tossed away the hauling rope
And leapt

Sat atop the tree
Was what appeared to be a house of sorts
Had I felt more out of sorts
Then it would have proved doubted source
The door was open
Curtains drawn
Daylight broke through virgin’s shawl
Set aside disturbing thoughts
And surging forth
I leapt

Pulled myself up to admire the view
For it seemed an unspoken requirement to
Breathe in the air
Of no mortal pollute
To the fat of the land
Bid more thoughtful salute
Turned to face cordial faith resolute
In the very same place
Famed down memory lane

We had been children
Way back in the day
We had built castles in sand by the sea
We had blown kisses in dandelion haze
We had found needles in huge stacks of hay
We had made wishes
Attached them to dreams
We had crossed stitches
Bereft of cleft hitch
To no way come away at the seams
We had been children
Way back in the day
We had been playmates, you see

Had felt drawn to this place
For good reason
For within our estate we embraced
All four seasons
Each colour and shade we paraded
We braided
To flourish
In courage
And brave
Reconciled
Spread our wings open wide
Smiled
And leapt

We were free
And yet in a respect
We were very much kept
In a box with a lock to protect
Our one secret to keep
Until dreams reconvened
Overslept

We had been playmates, you see
Innate traits handmade of the same faithful weave
From whispered reflections
Implicit intention to revisit senses
Refresh their direction
Indeed, ‘Twas our keen predilection to venture
While destiny gently caressed
Thus, we spread our wings wide
Smiled
And leapt

The door was open
Curtains drawn
Daylight broke through virgin’s shawl
Set aside disturbing thoughts
And surging forth
I leapt