I remember
That Day
very well, surprisingly enough.
That Day was warm and sunny,
seemingly perfect.
‘Twas a summer “laze around”
from what I recollect- but
I had gotten up
before noon anyway.
After sorting through my massive
book collection
(I had finished The Unexpected Dragon
the night before)
I galloped down the stairs, thinking about
Scaly Dragons and
Mystical Unicorns.
How perfect I thought life would be if
magic were real.
Then, I decided,
I would believe in it all
forever.
As I danced and hummed about the room,
dreaming while awake,
My mom called me in-
“Jocelyn, I’ve got to talk to you”
-all too sweetly.
Either something is very good,
or very, very bad.
I wasn’t worried, though.
My life was full of
Mystical Unicorns and
Scaly Dragons.
Nothing can tear me down!
“Sweetie,” She said. “It’s about
your dad.”
I smiled.
He’s coming to visit!
My knight is coming to
Rescue me from this
Castle of Boredom!
“He-” My mom stammers.
“He died.”
As if I understood these words,
I began to cry
hysterically.
The tears poured down,
drowning me as my mom said
more words I did not
understand.
The room became
foggy and blurred.
I was blinded, my ears
suddenly advanced.
Her voice was a muffled
microphone.
Screaming under a pillow.

The world fades back,
the magic
does not.
I detect the smell of
burnt vacuum cleaner
without a hint of
Dragon Breath.




"The World on Pause"

his eyes opened against the wind
the heat wrapping around us both
a smile
so simple, so brief, and yet
the heat dissipated,
a cold, fresh breath from Mother Nature
washed away the past, the heat
his arms were around me
his eyes open
and mine wider than ever before.
A bitter taste in my mouth was
swallowed
and forgotten about the moment we connected
vibration shocked through my veins
a shakiness I’d never before imagined
Mother Nature’s cold breath was
eaten away
by a new warmth
sent through my body
rabid butterflies were in a frenzy
but out here, the world froze.
calmness.
decadence.
his eyes opened again
mine met his
the world was still paused
but we fought it together, in slow motion.
a smile, so wide, so perfect
a smile turned into three faint words
“I love you”
and the world was alive again.