"Learning is not bestowed by wealth"

-- H. Vanoy Barton

Face

by
H. Vanoy Barton

I saw the light strike her hair,
I saw heaven descend, saw the air become molten gold.
I saw the ground that she walked on become liquid light.
I saw a dream come true, I saw perfection's open door.

Then I saw her face, and I knew, I would be in love for evermore,
I knew I was captured, raptured and held by grace: no escape.

I knew this was the time, this was the place.

I wondered what did I ever do, why now, why this way, why this late?
I wondered why divinity could want me, what would a goddess gain from me?
I wondered why, I wondered how?

Then, I cried.

Tears of joy poured from my eyes, they raced down my face, they
rained and burned upon the ground: the river of my soul flowed at her feet.
I kneeled and thanked God out loud: at long last I had a queen.
And then I awoke, I was alone, my dream was gone.

Once again, I knew not what to do, or where to turn, I was lost and forlorn and did not wish to arise, I preferred to die.

The dream had been so real, so intense,
I could still smell her scent, could feel her presence in my room. My heart broke in half, one too many knives, one too many cuts: hope was severed, it fled away.

My soul screamed, for there seemed no way out.

What good is a man without a queen to serve and adore?
So, I swore to chain my heart deep inside and never again let it beat free, not even in a dream, no matter how real it might seem.

The rational part of my mind told me the days were long past,
had gone away never to return,
there were no more queens, no more magic, no more dreams.

I vowed to heed my own sage advice;
forget my quest, live in forsaken sorrow and make friends with the hurting hole in my chest.

I arose from my mean bed and made ready to struggle through another day.
There was a knock upon my door.
In my disconsolation, I roared: "I would rather be alone."

But, from habit long ingrained, I plodded forth and turned the knob, neither knowing nor caring who was on the other side.

I opened the door.

I saw her face, saw my dream, saw my queen, saw her beautiful eyes.

Then, I heard the voice of God whisper in my ear: "Surprise!"