Old Poem: Another World

2013

Another World

In response to the novel 'Cicada Summer' by Kate Constable

Thoughts. Swishy red-orange silks,

softly singing, laughing, spinning me around.

Dark clouds muffle, but thoughts still stay.

So, I run. Fields and streams flash past,

I won’t stop till I’m far enough away.

Trampling weeds and wildflowers,

I slow, then stop.

The old summer house.

Overgrown grass, bushy trees,

spreading ivy and an empty pool.

I close my eyes as I step towards

the summer house.

One step, two step, three.

Cicadas hum; loud then silent.

I open my eyes.

A girl is laughing,

splashing her feet in the now full pool.

Eating watermelon,

talking, spraying seeds everywhere.

She leads me into the summer house,

all neat and clean with brushes and

paints all ready to be used.

Red, white, black and blue.

A storm, an angry sea and

a sinking boat appear on the walls.

We stand back to look.

The girl doesn’t like it,

she says we must start over.

Blue, white, yellow, green.

A girl is swimming towards a garden,

towards the light.

We dance and sing

“It’s done, it’s done!”

I laugh. It feels so good.

Then I remember a day just like this.

Smiling and laughing

with someone who isn’t there.

Fighting a log-dragon with a sword,

magic cloak and a princess ogre.

“I’ve got to get home!” I cry.

The girl looks scared,

she says not to leave.

But I have to.

So, I close my eyes and run.

Cicadas humming all the way.

I feel rain.

I open my eyes.

The summer house has changed again,

back to overgrown grass

and falling-down walls.

I don’t mind.

So, I’m back where I was,

only I never left.

Or did I?