Childhood & the Beast

stories, parables & verse

innocent laughter wakens the beast
so i'm trying not to laugh again
but that look on your face
always makes me giggle

soaring high
over rooftops
the plane maneuvers
(or is being maneuvered)
for a landing close by

city blocks pass by below
busy streets
like railroad ties
blurring together fast

no swirling, please
i've already had my lunch
and it threatens me now
wanting to evacuate

and suddenly i remember
i remember everything
i remember it all
like it was this morning

the swing was just a rope and tire
i never tired of laying in it
swaying back and forth
staring down at the ground

is this my life that i see
passing before my eyes?
not that it might really belong
to someone else

i never did find out
what all the smooth brown rocks
were really made of
brown like old copper pennies

and worn smooth by years
of rushing water
in some far off stream
some river or creek

leaves of autumn get caught up
in the wind and fly through the air
but they can't re-attach themselves
to limbs made bare in autumn

cold winter sunshine
bitter winter skies of blue
bright promise of warmth
but always cold to the touch

shush, now, be quiet
laughter will stir the beast awake
and we do not want that to happen
but life is just so funny

try heating up a frozen pot pie
turkey was never very good
but always better than the rest
the nasty beef was worst of all

i still remember the turtles
sunning in the afternoon
sitting on old tires and rocks
just above the muddy water

always broken glass on the asphalt
and crowds of inner city kids
bored and afraid and beaten
every one of us

but mostly without the hope
of a better tomorrow

memories of another place and time
of stories and gossip
and horrible truths of
death and poverty

and millions
of unhappy people

laughter always wakens the beast
and then there is trouble
but no one gets to sleep forever
so go ahead and laugh

and so i laugh out loud
laughing long and hard
and loudly 'til it hurts
and still i laugh and laugh

uh oh, here it comes

Jim

©2004 Jim Sutton

			verse