little girl sits by a window
and watches the slowfalling rain
drop like tears from the iris of a
giant as paper playmates rest scattered
about the lonely room, yearning for
the sun.
{paper is always it’s whitest when the
sun shines her rays upon it’s surface.}
the paper dragons that sit on the tabletop
frown, for they can’t breathe fire to warm
the world in which they dwell. a single
tear from each dragon’s eye is all that
is needed to spark the kind grin on the little
girl’s face; their fire is found in her eyes
and in her smile.
{the origami winter is not so cold when
the subtle warmth of a fire is nearby.}
stars made of paper try to shine but
their effulgence is lost as they rest on
the floor under a chair made for dolls.
and though she has not much left to
give, the little girl lights the stars
with her love.
{and with her love’s light the rest of
her origami world can see in the night.}
little girl reaches out to make paper roses
to complete her origami escape, but with
each tender fold, papercuts induce blood
from her dainty fingers, coloring roses red.
her love continues to pour and her tears
continue to fall with each rose she makes,
until she lays buried under swarms of
red paper roses.
{because no matter how hard i try, i always
seem to make paper flowers that cannot bloom.}

01/22/2004