Thrice Upon A Time (Once In A Lifetime Suite)

Old Tree Reading Story Book

Thrice Upon A Time has previously been published in All of Me Vol. V, courtesy of Shadow Spark Publishing.

Listen to Thrice Upon A Time by Richard Charles Stevens (Once In A Lifetime Suite)

Listen to Once In A Lifetime by Talking Heads

Once upon a time I cried
Once upon a time I died
Once upon a time I was peculiarly dignified
Virtue turned to vice
Whereby the smile I prized felt misapplied
Once upon a time this left me mystified
.
Once upon a time the rising skies comprised of diamanté dreams
.
Stretched across the
Stretched across horizon like a flighted limousine
.
Sharpening the guillotine
I marvelled at reflection
Executions aside this seemed the farthest cry from bitter scene
The King and Queen were growing restless
Slow returns on their investment
Felt enthroned to choke me breathless
Headed for the chop
Deemed my industry most reckless
Only wished disown my necklace
See me laying prone
Defenceless
Bled upon the block
Gazed up at the limousine parading widest smile
At which time the guillotine blade dropped
.
Once upon a time I brandished battleaxe and helm
Handpicked as protector of the realm
Overwhelming foes with ease
Reckoning of potent means
Fate foretelling open breach
Then destiny fell silent
.
Once upon a time I cried
Once upon a time I died
Once upon a time I was peculiarly dignified
Virtue turned to vice
Whereby the smile I prized felt misapplied
Once upon a time this left me mystified
.
Flanked upon both left and right
I banked upon my heft and might
Braved the crested waves of fight
And cherished my defeat
Bled from me the furnace heat that threatened to consume
Death that day was nothing shy of beauteous
Not the most salubrious demise by all accounts
Duteous to studious concede
.
Once upon a time I ventured too close to the sun
Singed my artificial wings before the race was run
Plummeted to sea beneath
Some way from the summit breached
Drowned in tears of fears beseeched
Found relief in ocean deep
Listened most intently as the widow wept
Presenting me with salt to dress my wings unkempt
Then sent me on my way
.
Spread my flawless spray of feathers
Took extraordinary measures
Ventured too close to the sun
And burst in ball of flame
Scattered in the falling rains
Pitter-pattered sprawling waves
Ripple patterns gamely changed
Duly sank like ball and chain
Once I reached the ocean bed
Of everlong devotion sped
Famed such expedition led
For truly I had found a home within her own to rest my weary head
.
Once upon a time I took my best advice and improvised
Vice turned back to virtue
Smile no longer bound by curfew
Former lives I may return to
Once upon a time…
Former lives I may return to
Once upon a time…
Once upon a time…
Once upon a time…
Once upon a time…
Once upon a time…
Once upon a time…