Then Once to Speak

(same Stream of Consciousness that brought you the title of this blog)

Her feet are dancing as her arms are lifted

in time with the music she hears

Songs sung as she moves to the tune that she plays

the rhythm of her falling tears.

I try to imagine what she sees with closed eyes

shut so tightly to keep them in

those hopes and those fears shut up in her heart

a full day she can't help but relive.

As barefoot she stands in the mud of the road

seeming ready to run and stand still

racing with all the thoughts moving through

her mind, her body, her will.

Her stretched fingers curling around the thin air

as her arms they possess all the strength

to lift her right off of those bare feet in the mud

no emotion seems ever to stay.

The tears that I mentioned, those tears full of music

streaking patterns of black down her cheeks

the notes being played by the sun on her face

causes me then once to speak.

"Why this joy and this sadness together,

I'm not sure what's making you cry.

The tears, and the smile, must come from some reason?"

I stop and await her reply.

Turning and turning she heeds not my question

though laughing she pauses to say,

"All of these days, yet all that we waste,

Have you lived enough for today?"