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KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

0 posted 2003-02-15 08:53 PM

The crisp, crashing waves
Against the pale sand
Repeated its deafening song
Of an ocean so big
That no one could cross
Except ships that were five miles long.

I sat and I listened
To her old tale
Of people who rode on her waves
And cut through her waves
And tickled her waves
And spent all their summer days there.

She said to me, "Child,
Who are all these people
Who fill all my days with such joy,
And make sure all summer
My waves are quite swarming
With boards and people galore!"

I would have replied
To the thundering ocean
If she had not quite carried on
With a new tale of people
Who came in the winter
To make sharp, stinging cuts on her ice.

"But, Ocean, doesn't it hurt when they cut
And slice and grind on your ice?"

"Why, no, my dear Child
For if they did not,
Ever so lonely I'd be.
Just frozen all winter
With no children laughing
And not one giggle of glee!"

I nodded to her
Now quite understanding
And we sat in a silent moment.
Then quietly rumbling
Her voice came back trembling
And she asked if I knew of The Beast.
Her once booming out voice
Full of vigor and life
Was now quite quiet and sharp
Like a knife
And such startling change
Made me stutter a strange
Mixture and mumble of words.

"The Beast," She went on
"Has a name, my dear Child.
Have you any idea what that is?"
I shook my head meakly
And still I said nothing
Afraid my own voice to be creaking.

"Its name, please God help me,
Is so cruel and so ugly
That it puts shame inside my own mouth.
And by each ear it's blown
May it always be known
That The Beast's horrid name is Alone.

You see, Alone will attack
On the longest of days,
When nobody's here,
When happiness strays.
Alone will come out
of the deepest of cracks,
The darkest of nights,
And a child's worst frights.

The Beast is unstoppable --
Its attack is inevitable
And never, no never,
Will you escape it.
Never, no never,
Will you ever escape it."

And the Ocean calmed down.
Her voice had now stilled
And although her great body
Was made of blue water
I got the tragic feeling
That the great blue Ocean
of crisp, crashing waves --
This Ocean she was weeping.
She was crying for every
Lonely, torn heart.
She was crying for everyone
That Alone ripped apart.

And I stood up with a start
And I shrieked out my best
Tumbling voice, and I boomed
Without rest:

"Dear Ocean! Don't cry!
Don't ever be sad!
For I know the answer!
I know just what to do;
Dear Ocean, don't cry,
I'll stay here with you!
I'll be here forever,
All night and all day.
You and me, we're together,
And forever I'll stay."

And she let out a laugh
That shook all the Earth
And she rejoiced for it all
And she laughed with such mirth
That I dived straight in her,
She swallowed me whole
And all I did was enjoy it
As she swallowed my soul.

And what made it so great,
What made it so right,
Was we'd never be victim
Of Alone;
Of that fright.
We'd be together forever
We'd be a part of each other
And as I felt my last breath
Being swallowed by her
I rejoiced for my death...
And she, for my birth.

**Another Old One Of Mine**

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

Albert J. Allie
Senior Member

since 2003-02-13

Posts 512
Queens NY

1 posted 2003-02-15 11:11 PM

This was sad, but yet again a wonderful tale. I don't know HOW i can say that given the end but I love how you put your words together...Once again...are you sure you are not writing about me here??

"And what made it so great,
What made it so right,
Was we'd never be victim
Of Alone;
Of that fright.
We'd be together forever
We'd be a part of each other
And as I felt my last breath
Being swallowed by her
I rejoiced for my death...
And she, for my birth."

KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

2 posted 2003-02-15 11:48 PM

lol, Thank you, Albert. I know the end is kind of sad...but it all depends on how you look at it, you know? It's sort of bittersweet in my opinion.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate them very much

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-16

Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

3 posted 2003-04-14 06:14 PM

Yes bittersweet...as life often is...James

KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

4 posted 2003-04-14 06:41 PM

Thanks James

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

5 posted 2003-04-15 02:50 AM

in awe

KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

6 posted 2003-04-15 09:36 AM

Wow....thank you passing shadows!

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

Ringo

Member Elite

since 2003-02-20

Posts 3684
Saluting with misty eyes

7 posted 2003-04-15 01:00 PM

"Its name, please God help me,
Is so cruel and so ugly
That it puts shame inside my own mouth.
And by each ear it's blown
May it always be known
That The Beast's horrid name is Alone."

So, now we know, and we can fight it when it rears its ugly head. Great job.

When the morning cries and you don't know why...

KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

8 posted 2003-04-15 01:39 PM

Thanks Ringo

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

9 posted 2003-04-15 02:14 PM

Koko big hugs for sharing this wonderful piece! I am in awe, moved deeply.
And I love the end, dying in each other to be born again as ONE.
Outstandingly beautiful. I love the intimacy with the ocean, feel this too...
Love, Margherita

[This message has been edited by Margherita (04-15-2003 06:58 PM).]

KoKo
Senior Member

since 2003-02-15

Posts 995
Inside the shadow's shadow

10 posted 2003-04-15 02:17 PM

Wow!!! Thank you very, very, very much! You touched me in your reply! You're much too too sweet!

I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.
--Chang Tzu

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