Monday, March 13, 2006

So, no one else seems to be posting. I am currently working on something new, however, this is a random thing I wrote awhile ago. One of my few recent pieces of prose.


Some times I sit outside at night and I wish that the whole world could be as beautiful and uncomplicated as the night sky. Pink-tinted clouds against a dark purple-blue sky. It’s like the picture on a nursery rhyme tapestry in some little kid’s bedroom, reminding me of simpler times. Of bedtime stories and fighting to sit on Mama’s lap. Of staying up until eleven reading by the nightlight and thinking how exciting it was to be up so late. When the door creaks open quiet footsteps are careful to wake no one who sleeps. I rub my eyes and say I only got up to use the bathroom. But I stayed up to see her and she sits with me for awhile. Rubs the growing pains out of my legs and then settles down to read on of her mystery books until I finally drift off to sleep.

I jerk myself out of long ago memories, surprised to find wet cheeks. I go inside and light candles. The flames waver as I breathe out and then dance back up, casting shadows on the wall. Their glow of light has a beauty that electrical lights have never imitated. In the soft light of the candles the whole world - including me - seems that much more okay, more peaceful and at ease in a way that nothing ever is in the bright, revealing light of the day. It is why I love the night so. The darkness seems to encourage the letting down of barriers, showing one’s true self. I feel safe, wrapped in a cloak of darkness and faraway pinpoints of light.

Finally at 2 a.m. I climb into bed. By then I am so tired that I sink into the pillow with a sigh of content. The cool night air comes through my window and I snuggle farther under the covers. Sleep and dreams, angry for being so long denied their claim on me during these hours, rush to fill my mind. I willingly surrender. Goodnight.

More people need to post!!!!

Clare

5 comments:

gg said...

Veddy nice. I remember missing being a kid when I was a teen also. I think it all starts when skipping is considered acting immature.

gg said...

I'm just going to start posting a poem of my own a day until Clare gets tired of reading them and axes me to stop.

Clare said...

No worries, that isn't likely to happen soon. We have to keep the blog alive somehow. I will pester others to post some more...

I hadn't really thought of this as being about missing being a kid...though looking back at, I guess it is, at least part of it.

Grace said...

Sorry Clare, sorry! I am SORT OF working on two-ish short stories right now. There's always spring break?

One thing I want to ask: is this story set during the school week?

Clare said...

I wouldn't call it a story exactly...

I don't remember if it was during the school week or not. It's reasonably likely...