The lantern the witch gave me

The argument of staying off the moors

to stay on the main road

I knew I never was born to listen

The winds always whispered wild things to me

Like the woods next to my Aunt’s house

with the wooden swing tied to a tree

The butterflies would hiss, hush, tell me to be quiet and listen

A purple monarch landed, incessantly quivering with, “shhhhhhhh…”

I shivered, as the outline of a witch creeped upon the numerous branches

With a creaking voice, “You must find what you seek. Take a lantern, any old lantern, and use the swing during dusk.”

Before I could answer, she slinked away

And the butterflies hiss coated my skin like honey

I followed the witches instructions

I brought my Aunt’s old lantern and went to the beloved swing I knew would take me somewhere that longed to have my heart back

With several forceful whooshes of my legs and bare toes, the lantern squeaking in my hands

A chasm, a vacuum, a whirlpool so powerful sucked me in

My whole heart exploded in a kaboom

My

Whole body felt left behind

My whole spirit lifted

In the land of nothingness, of upside down, I landed my feet like a Lost Boy on what felt like sand, hitting like something more than matter, less than air

But there was nothing here for me

Nothingness escaped me, it was as though the Aurora lights made love to the galaxies of space

To bore this frightful fancy

The lantern pooled into a moon of stranded light

Molecules that sped up too fast as my molecules slowed

Eternal dreams that floated like a million lights that looked like balloons, bubbles, birthday’s

Long lost music that danced in the air, escaping, long lost, mourning.