It Feels like this…

When I listen to my heart; Not the rhythmic beating of the most essential organ in the human body, but that place we all refer to… the poetic or divine heart, the heart chakra, the center, I realize that in the heart, there is no such thing as pain.

Most people define the heart as a place completely filled with love and joy, to me it literally is a place like that, filled with beauty and peace. I usually am aware of the heart when I experience things that make us feel joyful and happy and loved. Sometimes it happens when I’m having tea with a friend, or watching a television show, or drinking and dancing like that’s all there is to do. Sometimes it happens when I’m reading a book, or getting to know a stranger, and sometimes it happens when I’m dreaming of being a husband and a father. Perhaps another name for the heart, something else we may call it is love. And if love is something that I feel for many different people, places, ideas and things then why do we fret so much about love? I’m going to try to remember that the next time I am experiencing loving something or someone.

So what causes the pain? I believe it is our bodies reacting to our mind. And I believe our mind triggered by the flight or fight reaction we all have instinctually; and because we don’t have to run from predators anymore our instincts are attuned to our emotions instead. So I also believe that it is caused when we are hiding the truth about what we are feeling or what we want. So to simplify, the pain happens near the heart because our bodies are trying to tell us to remember something; remember to love.

What does my heart say when I listen to it? After I’ve stopped my mind from thinking of everything else and asked it to completely focus? After I’ve felt the drumbeat like thumping and the feeling of blood coursing through my body and I’ve enjoyed all the sensations I feel from my body?

It says that nothing is impossible if you love. And I believe that to mean that nothing is more rewarding, whatever the outcome may be.

Engagement Party

I saw him at a party and it was the most interesting way I ever started dating someone. He was tall and handsome and though he was well into his twenties, he looked no older than nineteen. His features were sharp, they were strong and they were comforting somehow. I couldn’t help staring into his intelligent and kind eyes, with strident and complimentary eyebrows; like a Vulcan from Star Trek.

He was somewhat peculiar, and though he was holding a drink, he looked upset. He was gazing off at something intently; as though he were watching a computer screen filled with information. And, while I’m sure the alcohol I’d consumed had something to do with it, I could swear that for a moment there were flashes of light in his eyes as they widened at some imaginary revelation.

I checked around the room to see if anyone had noticed me staring at him, thinking I might have to explain to one of our friends I was merely observing his eccentricities. Everyone was smiling and engaged no one had caught me staring it seems and when my attention took me back to him, he was staring right at me, and smiling. Everything happened so quickly after that, his drink suddenly tilting toward me was how I noticed he was walking toward me. I was so nervous he’d caught me gawking and was going to say something. But he was smiling and that kept me from running away in terror.

His magnificent gate, his excellent and well balanced frame, like that of a fencer, a precision instrument meant to overwhelm its opponent with the blinding gleam of beauty. Before I knew it he was upon me, His eyes locked onto my eyes, serious and focused and he said, I remember it so perfectly, he said;

“I think this is the moment that all my efforts will finally conclude. I can finally be with you, can you even imagine all I’ve had to do?”

We’d never been together, what was he talking about? I didn’t understand, so i just stared into his eyes, somewhat defiantly and inquisitively he smiled and continued,

“I have to make the universe create an exact duplicate of itself that’s 10 seconds behind this one, just 10 seconds is all I can do, it should give me just enough time to kiss you but I always miss, a thousand times before this, seemingly endlessly and then I have to jump into the time shifted universe and hope I did it in time!”

Then he kissed me.

It was the most amazing and passionate kiss I’d ever received and it made me remember something really extraordinary about us. I don’t know if I was just caught up in the moment or just so drunk I could imagine anything but I swear that a blue swirling light, like a portal was engulfing us.

He was so happy, beaming with a smile and an expression that seemed to say, at last! He then, calmly with satisfaction said we synced up our time streams by colliding two universes together, and he looked so pleased. And none of it frightened me and I believed every word, I still do.

Then he asked me to marry him and we said, “yes” in perfect unison.

Inspiration strikes the late night wanderer…

He was sitting in a rocking chair and I remember the wood of the floor was smooth and cold, walked upon for years and years. The details I remember aren’t the ones you’d expect. Like the metal pail with a little bit of water at the bottom, making it look like lights were dancing inside it as the sunlight reflected in the water.

I remember him looking off serenely, like the images of Merlin looking away into things we humans cannot know.

“It’s not like that at all.” he said answering my thoughts, it was so natural I didn’t question it, “You’re thinking about it with too many speed limits, and too many rules.”

“What’s it like then?” I asked.

“The universe is complex and it is simple, it is all at once so small and comprehensible yet great beyond knowledge and ability. The Universe is responsible for our belief in greater things, and it could scarcely be any other way; For when we first gained the ability to see, have no doubt, the first light those eyes observed was that of the stars.”

I noticed the sunlight come out of the clouds for a minute and illuminate the grass in the field beyond, it was waving like water, or like an impressionist painting. All the while he continued,

“Our part in the Universe is what we choose to make it, and knowing, not believing, that you are in some way in touch with the divine, because you are a part of the universe and you can see its entire history from beginning to end. A fiery birth drifting beautifully into a cool midnight.”

“What is divine anyways?” I asked in my thoughts.

“You are neither god nor mortal, there are no words in language or mathematics to describe who you are completely. No tools to map out your existence from birth to life. Not yet anyways. And you are gifted because you have the ability to see the universe entirely and yet still be within it.”

He paused, and when he began to speak again his voice was softer, and gentler,

“So, believe in what ever you want, because religion alone can never fill you the way that the search for knowledge will; because religion will never show you how much greater the universe is than any god we can concoct to approximate the majesty and wisdom that can be unveiled through the universe.

Some will say that perhaps these are machinations put into play to show us the way. But now we are beyond those thoughts and ideas and we have grown up. But to truly experience the great things we imagine ourselves to, a lot of people need to awaken to what they see every time they look up. The answer is right in front of our faces. Lets go find out what it is.”

He smiled at me and that made me smile back.

The Absent Night – Based on a true event in another world.

Chester met me in the forest as always. For some reason this spot was my entry into his world. The area looked almost like a circle surrounded by tall fir trees who’s bristles created a thick canopy shading this “landing” area rather sufficiently.

Chester wore his characteristic linen pants, and stitched tunic, and as was typical of him; his feet were bare. I hadn’t been to this place in months, very close to 8 months if memory serves me correctly. He did look a bit different from what I had expected, his hair had grown out a little and he had a noticeable blond stubble.

His clothing was soft and white and I began to look at the beautiful stitching, noting how elegant and simple it was. His golden hair glistened softly in the diffused light of the forest. We smiled at each other when we realized we were both looking at what had changed about the other.

“It has been a little while my dear friend.”

“Yes it has, i don’t know how to come here intentionally.”

“And I don’t know how to bring you here intentionally.” He said with a hint of sadness, “ You have arrived at a very special time.”

“Yes?”

“Yes; now, come, for we haven’t much time to spare.” He took my hand and led me through the forest path. The winding path was familiar to me, and though I never had to walk through it myself, Chester always came to guide me. I wonder if I could have found my way through by myself.

We walked silently at first but not too far on our journey we began to talk about the townsfolk, about other lands in this realm and all the going-ons that I had missed. He told me he’d taken to sailing since I last saw him.

When we arrived at the clearing I saw it was nearly dusk. Ahead of us lay the field where Chester and I spent many a day having picnics and conversing, it still looked the same with wild flowers dotting the lush green blanket in red, yellow, purple and white. Beyond that was the village that sat below in a sort of valley and it ran all the way toward the sea which was glistening with bits of the sun, now steadily falling in the sky toward it. The village felt as though it was my home somehow as though it should be my home anyways.

“I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen the sun set here before, have I Chester?”

“No, I don’t believe you have, at least not like this anyway.” he replied to me as he gazed at the sky with some amount of cheerful awe, “He Chases her.”

I didn’t really understand what he seemed so inspired by, I thought he might be referring to the sun chasing after its fractured reflection in the sea, he knew my mind and I could see in his expression he was about to show me,

“The sun and the moon.” he said while pointing higher in the sky.

I looked up higher and realized the magnificence of what he was trying to show me the whole while. Not much farther up in the sky, perfectly lined up with the sun, was the moon! A full moon! It seemed impossible, the sun’s counterpart chasing right behind. But then again many impossible things happened here.

So astonished by the sight, I uttered a loud, exclamation of wonder, “Wow!”  I could have stood there transfixed until the outcome.

“This happens but once every year, on this day, the sun will set and one half hour later so will the moon and there will be a night which we call, The Absent Night.”

I slowly turned my attention back toward him with a million questions at the edge of my lips, but he smiled at me and said, “Come now for we must be at the palace in time for the ceremony.”

It took some doing to get to the village and then another walk through the maze of streets. The sky was already looking darker and the sunlight was golden and bathing everything, everywhere. There are no guards at the palace or gates, or high outer walls. The Palace is within the village and it sits right at the edge of the sea and when we reached the beautiful courtyard filled with trees and flowers, Chester turned to me and held my arms near my shoulder, he smiled gently, “I must change into the ceremonial dress, go with Toren and he will help you with yours.”

He turned and began walking away; it took me a second to realize, “What? Me? I have to change?”

Without turning, he shouted back, “Yes, there’s little time, didn’t I mention you will be a part of the ceremony?”

“No?” I yelled back as he walked further away and all I could hear was his hearty laughter as he disappeared down one of the corridors.

Toren was a nice old man, everyone in the village wore medieval style clothing but it was somehow prettier and timeless. “This way please, young master.”

He led me to a nearby room and when we entered and he lit a candle, the first thing I noticed was how beautifully furnished it was. Prominent in the room was a great big comfortable looking bed, at the other end sat a great wardrobe, chairs and a lounge, there was a big desk with all the necessary items for working, It dawned on me that people here had jobs too. Writers, businessmen, bakers, etc. It just wasn’t what people seemed to convey as their identity. “It’s lovely isn’t it?” asked Toren.

“Yes, magnificent!” I answered gleefully and instantly feeling as though I lived in this room all my life.

“This is where you will stay if you like, young master.”

The room only had three walls, where the fourth should have been instead opened up to a foyer and past the edge was the sea. A truly peaceful and magnificent place, with garlands of pine and flowers hanging outside, chairs, and lounges and creature comforts wherever it might be needed.

The sun was lower in the sky now, I estimated probably 20 minutes from setting and the moon looked the same size and was not far above it. There were already a few stars twinkling in the sky and the sea was a bright orange color.

“Please undress young master here is your clothing for the ceremony.”

I was about 15 and felt very awkward taking off my clothing in front of anyone, and from my silence, I suspect that Toren got the hint and said, “I will turn if you please.”

“Thank you… it’s okay.”

I took off my shirt and shoes and pants and stood there awkwardly for a minute in my underwear as Toren brought the clothing. I felt very shy and did my best to cover myself up without looking like that was what I was doing.

He gave me the pants to put on which were very fitted and made of some kind of silvery silky material. they were very pretty and very comfortable. Then my tunic, and a little hat all of it the same silvery material. The clothing felt cool and wonderful against my skin. But there were no shoes offered, so I figured being barefoot was going to be part of the custom. Toren looked a bit worried.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, “Doesn’t it look right?”

“Well, yes except your hair is very unruly and the hat doesn’t fall quite the way it should, let me see.” He lifted the hat and set it down on the bed, went over to the dresser and came back with a comb. I took it reluctantly and walked over to the dresser and looked at myself in the mirror. There was a stone wash basin sitting atop the dresser so I dipped the comb in, then corralled my hair back and parted it. He took the hat and placed it back atop my head, “There now, it fits perfectly” he said, “And might I add sir that your hair looks very nice like this.”

“Thank you Toren” I said, “do i have to do anything?”

“Yes, young master, you and master Chester are a very important part of the events in this evenings ceremony, never you worry, you will be guided through the steps.”

“Can you give me a clue about what I’ll be doing?”

He went into thought a second and then said, “But then you’ll lose the joy of discovery young master.”

“I understand. I just want to do a good job.”

“You will. Now, lets go to the Grand Square, everyone will be gathered.”

I took one more look at the unbelievably beautiful room that was given to me for my stay here, and then followed Toren out into the hall.

The Grand Square was behind the palace and stretched out some way past the palace into the sea. Three of its four sides touched the ocean and it is large enough to fit at least a thousand people, and it certainly looked as though that many people were in attendance. Everyone was dressed very well for the occasion. There was a lot of joyful commotion and people held up banners and sang songs and laughter burst out like little bright explosions amidst the sea of people. Suddenly, almost magically I thought, the sounds faded into a respectful silence and that’s when I noticed the lady dressed in white.

“Enter child of Earth, come to the place of ceremony!” she said. I turned and looked at Toren nervously and then walked forward. He smiled at me trying to assure me again that all will be fine.

Set up in a large open area was a pedestal and two large gongs. There was a multi tiered daïs that went to the edge of the square to the edge of the ocean facing the direction where the sun, even lower now, was setting. A large and beautiful oak tree grew in the center of the square. It looked very old, its bark was turning grey and it was laden with garlands of flowers, in its branches were unlit lanterns. When i walked around the tree I suddenly noticed Chester waiting for me, smiling, he was dressed like me but his clothing was shiny and of golden hue. We then walked together to the daïs and stood next to the King and Queen. They were dressed in their royal clothing except that everything the King wore was silvery and the Queen wore a magnificent golden dress.

I began to realize that i might be playing the ceremonial part of the moon and Chester, the sun. I stood next to him nervously and we both now had our backs to the tree and were facing the setting sun and moon.

“Your majesty may we begin?” Said the beautiful lady dressed completely in white. She looked like a high priestess of some kind. Her head was covered with a white cap that fell to her shoulders and down her back, and the tail that went down her back was adorned in stitched symbols or runes in silver and gold.

The king nodded his approval.

“Thank you my lord.” She walked passed me and stepped to the highest tier of the daïs toward the sea then turned and faced the audience.

“People of the realm, People of the sea, prairies, forests and mountains, we gather at this time to witness our blessed Sun and her consort, Moon as they leave this realm to the sacred place of Ura-shantye-anisharapynda; The blessed Realm of the ancient ones. There they will engage in the mysterious ceremonies that we mortals cannot know to renew their promise to the universe and to themselves.”

She paused for a moment as the gongs were struck. “The Priests of old called this moment, the Absent night. For it is a night absent of her Majesty’s consort, ever reflecting her glory as she journey’s to other realms that require her renewing and life-giving energies. Tonight we reveal the secret passed through the ages, given to the first King who was so beloved by the sun that she gave him a piece of herself to always keep him and his people safe.”

A series of gongs chimed and now the sun began to set behind the sea. The gongs continued to chime as the sun dipped completely and the sky appeared brighter just for a moment while the last rays of sunlight faded away. Now there was just the moon setting.

Suddenly there was a fanfare of trumpets! The gongs chimed once more and the King and Queen stepped forward. They shimmered in the kindling of sunlight and the now stronger moonlight and as they walked forward, two children approached them with seashells that contained a material that was on fire like candles in their hands.

“Earth lords, we bring to you this gift of light from the great sky mother, the Queen of all! So beloved was the first father of your line that this secret was given to him, her most deep secret, that of life.”

The King took one of the shells, and handed it to the queen, and then took the other. The Children, a boy and a girl, turned and walked back to the crowd. The king and queen faced each other now and then turned to the moon.

The Queen spoke first, “Great father! you were given this fire by the mother of all because she loved your goodness and brave heart so much she could not bear the thought of your discomfort and suffering when she traveled to Ura-shantye-anisharapynda.” She smiled at me, “And with this you created the Kingdom of love and made certain it would stand the tests of time and earth through out the ages. When you were certain your people would be safe for eternity, you joined your beloved queen and became her consort. Thus you are set in our sky, reflecting her majesties beauty through your silvery face. Your chase is rewarded one night every year, on this night we show you that we have not forgotten what you have taught us great father, and we will be safe as you go to be with your beloved queen.”

Now the King began to speak. “My cherished people, we have learned the secret of life from the first King. Now he awaits our sign to go with ease to the ancient lands of Ura-shantye-anisharapynda. The Children came once again, now holding two unlit seashells and the King and Queen touched the new seashells with theirs and they burst gently alive with flame. The children once again went into the crowd and very quickly, lights began to shine through out the audience as people lit their candles. Then the palace became bright as the torches and lights inside came on, and then the village and then the edge of the forest and the mountains. As all this happened the Moon quietly set behind the sea and the people applauded.

I didn’t notice anyone light the lanterns in the branches of the old tree but they were now glowing too. It was utterly beautiful. Someone’s hand touched my back and I noticed it was the priestess. “Blessed Children it is now the time for you to light the lanterns.” I looked up at her and then at Chester. “Just do what I do.”

Chester took my hand and walked up to the king and queen. Gracefully he said to them, “Lords of earth, we present ourselves before you now.”

The King looked at us and spoke, “You do not carry the fire of life, where are you from children?”

“We are the two that are one, star children, mortal and immortal. We saw a faint light from our place in the heavens and it led us to discover you, our unknown kindred.”

Now the Queen spoke, “The light you saw is the fire of life, and it was given to us by our beloved mother of all, the sun. We share with you the fire of life so that you may live as we do and be blessed.”

Chester looked at me and with his eyes indicated that I should go and get the shells. I stepped up to the King and Queen and took one of the shells, the one offered by the queen, and Chester took the other.

“Thank you benevolent lords, we accept this gift from you and show you now our gratitude. We reveal to you the secret of the universe. This life fire which you give generously to us we now share with our brothers and sisters.”

The King and Queen parted and there on the pedestal were two lanterns. We walked over to them and carefully lit the flammable disks balanced inside them. My lantern had an image of a crescent moon and Chester’s that of a sun. The lanterns began to glow and then when it was time, they lifted up away from our hands and began drifting away out toward the sea. We walked back to the Dais and joined the rest of the Royal family and the Priestess.

“They are beautiful.” I said to Chester as we watched the lanterns drift higher in the sky. He held my hand and just then into my vision came more little lanterns floating over our heads, I turned around and there were thousands and thousands coming from all over, from the mountains, the forests, the prairie, rising up and chasing the first two. The sky was a light with dots of light! People began to sing in a beautiful chorus and as they sang the great oak tree seemed to glow on its own. A beautiful bluish green light surrounded it.

The singing went on for quite a while and when it finally quieted down, the king and queen took the top tier of the Dais and the trumpets began to proudly, gaining everyone’s attention. “Now, let us rejoice and celebrate for all the revelations of the Absent Night! We give thanks for our many blessings!”

Suddenly you could hear bands strike up from every direction and people started laughing again and dancing seemed to spontaneously commence through the square.  The smell of food came into the air as well! Chester and I danced several times, little jigs that we made up and arm in arm twirling around. I danced with the Queen and she asked me about my family and friends back home.

I could scarcely remember or imagine a time where I had more fun, and time seemed to stop for most of the night.

When all was quieting down and the revels continued elsewhere, I found Chester sitting on the edge of the square with a goblet of wine next to him. I sat down next to him and when he noticed me, he smiled a huge beautiful smile.

“Hello boy.” he said.

“Hello sir” I said.

He smiled. “Do you ever wonder how I always know when to go to the forest to meet you?”

“You sound like you are drunk” I said with a disapproving tone.

Chester seemed puzzled by my observations of his state.

“This, oh yes, you don’t drink do you?”

“No, but I suppose I don’t mind if you do.”

We laughed, “Well I’m glad I have your permission my dearest friend.”

I looked out at the beautiful starlit sea and said, “I just always figured you feel something in your stomach, or felt a tingle in your heart or brain.”

Chester smiled and laughed a little, “I do feel all those things, but only after I see something in the sky.”

He came closer and put his arm around my neck and drew me closer to his face, he then pointed in the sky, “Do you see those two stars next to each other right there?”

I looked up at two extremely bright stars, “Do I see them? I don’t suppose they are easy to miss, they are very bright!”

“The one on the left is visible even in daylight, and something you will never witness because it depends on you is, the second one, the one to the right, it does not shine except when you are here. And it becomes visible just hours before you arrive, every time.”

“What, really?”

“Yes, really. We all know you are going to visit when the second star shines. I am told that the first star appeared the night I was born.”

“When was that?”

He blushed and smiled a little, “Tonight.”

My eyes widened! “It’s your birthday? Happy Birthday!”

Chester beamed and looked down with a tinge of shyness in his face, “Thank you.” He looked up at me again and with a strange look on his face said, “Now my dear friend the hour grows late and you ought to be in bed.”

“What? I’m having so much fun though! Can’t we stay up a bit longer?”

“You may. In the time it takes us to walk to your chambers and for me to tuck you in. How about that?”

I mumbled rather disappointed, “fine.” But I could already feel my entire body becoming heavy and my mind shutting down.

We walked to my bedroom, I changed into one of those long shirts that people used to wear to go to bed and Chester helped me to put on a nightcap. He set his seashell down on the dresser and mine next to his, and they flickered dimly now.

I was about to climb into bed but he half whispered, “Wait, just one more thing, come and sit in this chair a moment.” Then he brought over the stone wash basin and set it on the ground in front of my feet. He took my feet and dipped them into the surprisingly warm water, after washing them, though the water never got cloudy he dried my feet and he led me to my bed. He tucked me in, I could remember thinking that the bed was so comfortable and immediately I started to fall asleep. I remember him kissing me on the forehead and stroking his fingers through my hair, I heard him say, as though whispering it, “I don’t mind it combed like this, but I prefer it the way you usually have it.” I barely mumbled my reply, “I’ll remember that…” before I blinked out of consciousness.

When I woke up, I was back in my bedroom in my pajamas. I really wished that I had woken up in that ancient and magical place. It felt so real; I couldn’t believe it was just in my dreams. What comforted me though was that whatever was causing the dreams, it wasn’t the first, and I felt there would be many more adventures there.

In Another Universe

I woke up in a panic, my heart was beating so hard it felt as though it would burst out of my chest. I was breathing hard; hyperventilating and there was no reason for my anxiety.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my chest and another one passing its fingers through my hair, through my hair? Somehow this gesture calmed me and as my vision became clearer, I saw the comforting hands were attached to a young man looking at me with worried and widened eyes.

“Sohail, are you alright, are you okay brother?”

Brother? “Where’s Rina?”

“Rina? You haven’t called me that since we were little, what’s going on, where you having bad dreams?”

Suddenly a slew of memories I didn’t have before flooded into my head and made me realize that this was my little brother Francis. Additionally a terrible dread came over me as I realized that the memories of growing up with Francis did not include an additional sibling, they did not include my younger sister Rina.

I got up and ran around like a mad man, the house was familiar but all wrong, the rooms were not small, the house was enormous, none of our furniture, “Where’s Indiana?”

Francis chased me around with the greatest concern and care, he must’ve thought I was going mad, I was going mad, “Who’s Indiana?”

“Our… never mind.” I calmed down for a minute, i stopped and took it all in. Is this a dream? The other was so real too, this couldn’t be real, I had to calm down, I had to calm down for my scared little brother, my little brother who didn’t exist until now, but always did.

“It’s okay Frannie, it’s okay. I was just really confused, I thought I was somewhere else, still dreaming I guess.” I smiled at him and comforted his worry by putting a hand on his shoulder and hugging him.

“Thanks for coming to my side.”

“Always Bhaiya.”

I went up to my room, the house was so large, I peaked into my mother and father’s room, I knew they were sleeping in there, I also knew they were different, everything happened different from how I remembered it, everything was strange. Would it all go back to normal when I went back to bed?

“Are you gonna be alright Sohail?”

My worried little brother stood there waiting for reassurance, I didn’t know how to answer honestly so I lied. “Everything’s fine, I’m going to bed now.”

“Good.”

I went to my room and took in the differences, and the similarities, what a queer dream, it didn’t act or feel like one. I got in bed, covered myself and shut my eyes…

Golden Gates

I have slipped in and out of universes like people slip in and out of dreams. I have seen myself as a coward and I’ve seen myself as a king, fools, thieves, fiends, and lovers too, so many different versions of the person I thought I knew. The balance of lineage was appealing to them, the memories of walking across the golden gate bridge or discovering for the first time, I would not be alone.

Through trickery and temptation I fell deep into the Omniverses and landed in a place so strange. The unchecked wizard cast a spell and the king built a great prison and they all plotted so efficiently as only I could against myself. Keeping me distracted and anaesthetized. Working their careful mischief to create brand new universes from mine, leaving their own abandoned.

Slowly the imbalance weighed on the other universes, slowly the skin that separates them began to buckle and hemorrhage. When all seemed lost and unrecoverable, by familiar voice, by gentle kiss, I stirred. The fires of cognition started once more and realization of what had come to pass flooded through my mind. My jailers did not account for me it seems, they did not see the golden thread that cannot be broken; which would always lead me back from wherever I journeyed.

And as I inched closer to myself, closer to my beloved friends and family, The Omniverse began to restore itself. Pulled back through me I met them all face to face and called them shameful and commanded them to bare the punishment for their actions. The last to go was the coward and as he stood before me, he grimaced and prophesied that he would have the day. So I prophesied as well and as my words of love and hope undid his of fear and hate, he withered as cowards do, begging for his newfound life.

And as I banished him to his dominion the gates did close with a lady’s soothing song bringing me out of darkness to sit upon the ground and gaze upon the gentle trees swaying in the crisp breeze, all appeared right. And there, in the setting light that shone through the golden gate did my beloved stand, so proud and smiling, he did not say goodbye but instead uttered… soon.

Were the world mine

Were the world mine, i would sit upon a great chair made of fine metal and set it within a palace or a temple atop the most beautiful place, overlooking a village and a river, hills and the ocean nearby, all the things i wanted would be within sight. Every day i would be grateful that i could gaze out from this chair at the beauty before me.

And were the world mine, there would be no reason to protect the village, for why would anyone want to harm my world? All about the world there would be abundance and joy and love, music, art, and dancing, all would be free to pursue their hearts desires, their true hearts desires, without harming anyone because who would want to harm another soul if the world were mine.

Were the world mine, i would revel in simple joys, like hiking through a forest and gazing at the stars, i would do these things anytime i wished to, and dream of visiting other worlds that were not mine, i would dream of living for a time within these worlds and learn new unthought-of wonders always confident that i could return to my world and not think it any less mine.

i would feel confident that i could tell of the wonders of my world and not fear that someone else would want to take that world away from me, for who would take it away, were the world mine?

This fantasy seems strange and unattainable but i know it can’t be so, for if the world were mine, there would be one clear sign to show me this was true; it would be so my beloved that if the world were mine it would only be if i could share the world with you.