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X Angel
Senior Member
since 1999-11-07
Posts 1521
Oregon

0 posted 2000-07-19 04:29 PM


stumbling
breath pained
in her oxygen starved lungs

she ran
on
and on
and on

behind her
deep in the trees
the hound's baying
faded and rose with the
wind's temperamental lofts

shoving the strings
of tangled blonde hair
from her eyes
she ceased her flight
to listen for a moment

there!
the hound's bay grew louder
and once more the fugitive took up
her course
shunning the light
and embracing the shadows

running headlong through a dense copse
hair catching in the fingers of the trees
to pull free, and float like gossamer webs
on the breeze of her haste

her weary feet tangling in the roots
of an ancient oak
causing her to fall into
the clutching arms of the thicket
to the soft moss carpet floor
exhausted from her flight
she lay a moment, stunned
unaware of her surroundings

when she finally gazed up
squinting from the tendrils of sun
that made their way
through the deepest forest
to glint off time-worn crosses
and drip off the leaves of this secret place
to fall to rest, in golden pools
on the deep velvet carpet below

ethereal in their repose
the crosses stood stately and strong
remainders of another time
the girl rose to approach the nearest grave
hesitantly extending her fingers
to trace the design in the headstone

her blood raced in her veins

as she sensed a presence
a warmth
near her feet
fearfully, she glanced down
and what she saw there was no demon
or even a driad spirit
but an oversized ebony cat
curling himself in adoration
around her briar torn ankles
looking up at her with a cool, green gaze
that made her suddenly not feel so alone

bending to scoop him into her arms
she pressed her face to him
and let her troubles
be dissolved by his soft purr
smiling slightly,
she put him a bit away from her
and drank in his feline beauty

when she noticed something jewelled on his neck
fingering the amethyst beads
she turned the collar round and round his neck
until a little gold heart came into view
on the heart was inscribed in an ancient script
'Darjeeling'

Darjeeling....what a funny name
thought the girl

with a soft thud on the ground below
the cat launched himself out of her arms
turning and miaowing to her to come
he padded slowly into the forest
after a short walk, she found herself
on the edge of a beautiful meadow
and on the far side, a lovely cottage
with a curling wisp of smoke
coming from the chimney

mustering all the courage she could
she moved hesitantly across the grass
up the cobbled walk,
between rows of lavendar
to knock on a weathered old door
but somehow, with Darjeeling there
she felt unafraid, mostly

when the door creaked open
and a wizened old woman
peered out from the dark recesses
the girl felt a strange relief
and simply said, "I've come"
the woman smiled in a toothless grin
and bid her in saying,
"I see Darjeeling found you alright"

the girl sat on a willow chair
and puzzled over all of this
while the cat  bathed himself
near the open log fire

taking the steaming mug
from the woman's extended hand
the girl soon found herself
in a haze of light and colour
as she slipped to the floor
fast asleep

cackling to herself the old witch
muttered and chanted incantations
while the fire and bubbling pot
danced in tune
and the girl slept and slept
unaware of the spells cast all around

stretching and wakening
the girl yawned and murmured
and stood shakily
weak from her day's trials
looking around
it seemed as if the cottage had grown
or she had shrunk
when she tried to call out to the old lady
all that issued from her lips
was a creaky miaow


© Copyright 2000 Heather Walters - All Rights Reserved
BSC
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-02-04
Posts 2919
New York, USA
1 posted 2000-07-19 04:39 PM


Oh WOW....This is great!!!!! Loved it from start to finish, could see the whole thing like I was watching a movie.  Wonderful imagery, terrific piece.  Bonnie
Poertree
Senior Member
since 1999-11-05
Posts 1359
UK
2 posted 2000-07-19 05:42 PM


liked it before ..love it now... wailll i wanted to be first ...lol  

p

Not A Poet
Member Elite
since 1999-11-03
Posts 3885
Oklahoma, USA
3 posted 2000-07-19 06:10 PM


Great imagery and congratulations on 1000.

Pete

Dark Angel
Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095

4 posted 2000-07-19 06:19 PM


Excellent! Excellent! Love it, a wonderful read  
jamesjiao
Member
since 2000-04-12
Posts 268
Backwaters of Avalon
5 posted 2000-07-19 06:33 PM


Hello, very intriguing story, X!.. Remind me of some fairy stories I read when I was young. haha... Nice expressions.. A good piece to celebrate your 1000th post.

- James
The beauty of nature is displayed,
not through itself,
but through the creatures
dwelling within its bosom.



Colin
Senior Member
since 1999-06-05
Posts 596
Callington, Cornwall, England
6 posted 2000-07-20 01:01 AM


Awesome poem (I thought that first time around too) and awesome work on getting 1000 posts!!! Well done Heather      

"We are the music makers and we are the makers of dreams." - Willy Wonka.

ethome
Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada
7 posted 2000-07-20 03:33 AM


O man, what a powerful and fervent imagination you have. I was totally captured from beginning to end. You should be writing fiction novels......you definitely get my vote....
Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
8 posted 2000-07-20 07:02 AM


XAngel~
An absolutely delightfully told tale.
Imagery galore !
Enjoyed ... congratulations on # 1000 !
~*Marge*~


~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com


wayoutwalt
Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870
TEXAS (it's all big)
9 posted 2000-07-20 07:41 AM


very neato burrito i must say

"Amadeus Amadeus. Amadeus. Amadeus Amadeus. Amadeus. Am Am Amadeus. Come on and rock me Amadeus!"-Falco
"don't even lissen to classical music!"-me

Alicat
Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094
Coastal Texas
10 posted 2000-07-20 07:47 AM


Heather, for some reason, perhaps it's my jaded way, I always like it in books and movies when the bad guy wins.  For some reason, though, this does not happen too often...I think it's a do-gooder conspiracy.

This poem gave me respite from the warm and smarmy feel-good rhetoric I'm so often inundated with.  Thank you.


Alicat, the Persnikitty

Xeonox
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Senior Member
since 2000-04-01
Posts 1764
CA, USA
11 posted 2000-07-20 12:53 PM


Great way to tell a story and keep the audience interested.
Xeonox
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Senior Member
since 2000-04-01
Posts 1764
CA, USA
12 posted 2000-07-20 12:53 PM


Great way to tell a story and keep the audience interested.
Xeonox
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Senior Member
since 2000-04-01
Posts 1764
CA, USA
13 posted 2000-07-20 12:53 PM


Great way to tell a story and keep the audience interested.
Xeonox
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Senior Member
since 2000-04-01
Posts 1764
CA, USA
14 posted 2000-07-20 12:53 PM


Great way to tell a story and keep the audience interested.
Xeonox
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Senior Member
since 2000-04-01
Posts 1764
CA, USA
15 posted 2000-07-20 12:53 PM


Great way to tell a story and keep the audience interested.
X Angel
Senior Member
since 1999-11-07
Posts 1521
Oregon
16 posted 2000-07-21 02:05 PM


Thanks so much guys....I really do have a baby kitty named Darjeeling  
This was alot of fun to write, and I am really flattered about the fiction writer comment...I only can wish!

*hugs2all*
~H

Parker
Member Elite
since 2000-01-06
Posts 3129
ON
17 posted 2000-07-23 02:18 AM


X, marks the spot on this one. Loved it, had me totally enthralled.

Parker

Janet Marie
Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

18 posted 2000-08-06 12:29 PM


playing catch up in here today....
glad i didnt miss a chance to vote for this
very cool poem..imagery is perfect
take care
jm

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