Once Upon a Verse

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ou were a child
once, playing in a secret space
under this bridge of time; there

monsters walked above; and
unicorns roamed in forests, where
sorcery was abound in a place of
tales faithfully believed in;

life was in everything; a mind
opening in the snow and sunlight like
violets, tiny things colouring in the
everyday -- yes, we were children

miming the desire of adults,
echoing indulgent epithets;

imitating what we saw --
for we knew no better in

youth (never long enough to grow
ordinary); we collected everything
unbiased in the height of fun; or

reasoned with tears that hold no
essence of grief (for that comes later),
attached to the music in our minds to a
dance with the dreams we see

thinking them new; not realising
how everything is a water cycle
inside, flowing back to the
same recycled spring of you; and

baby blind to suffering until
like scalding bath water
over innocent skin, it
grazes your shins -- yes, as children

everyone shares this
verse of upbringing;
each once a child (for we forget)
roaming in pretence, drawing demons or
yelling with excitement about the
day lived and the day to come;
angels at birth each and everyone,
yellow-haloed, brighter than the Sun.

Published 19 January, 2011

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