~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ © MH 3/8/99 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No one brought me out It was just the truth, So I said it. My voice was like a scream in the ears of millions My simple statement was a joyous one, And it boomed outward. How I raged when I was denied And I begged, “Don’t fear me.” To each one I whispered “I won’t hurt you.” And most still turned away Twisting me far more than I was to begin with Laugh at the hate and it will melt. but I was dying too much to laugh crawling on the floor across the school hallway And always my weakest voice was more than a roar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Schizophrenic Roses and Paranoia ~~~~~~~~~~ © Marie Hedrick 3/8/99 Alice bent to smell the roses on the table. She had carried them home through the city streets, her arms cradling their cellophane wrapped stems. With a shudder Alice remembered trying not to move at all, to keep the people around her from noticing her, or the flowers in her hands, when the littlest movement made the cellophane crackle. The instant Alice was inside she ripped off the stifling cellophane and her own coverings, almost before she had locked the doors behind her. Not forgetting to double check the locks, to keep out the people and their voices, she took the roses and headed for the kitchen. It was at the very back of her house, and it was Alice's favorite room, like her sanctuary. It overlooked a hill and some trees, but still had another room, a gardening room made of glass, seperating the kitchen from the outside. On her way Alice absently pitched her overcoat toward the coatstand, dismissing the image of it sliding back off into a crumpled heap near the door. She walked past the darkened living room, unheeding of the bits of cellophane that were left scattered behind her in her narrow hallway. The trail of green wrap continued up to where the stairway unobtrusively shadowed the kitchen. Filling a vase with water, Alice suddenly heard the voices at her door, trying to slip past and follow her into the kitchen. Alice closed her eyes and groped around her, opening them when she cut herself on a thorn. She closed her eyes again and touched a rose petal, feeling its silk on her fingers, telling the voices to go away, that she wasn't really there. Finally she was able to carry the vase to the table, even though they were still at her door. She was in the kitchen and they wouldn't be able to tell she was home. Arranging the roses in their vase she felt the voices leave, not being able to find her. Alice bent and smelled the roses on the table. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Honey ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hide away long, By mists and magic tounge, Beneath the silent moon, Full and glowing silver, Tell not one whatyou have seen, Only you that can discover, Tell not one what lies ahead, Only you that can remember, Tell untold secret spells, Find andient mysteries, By mists and magc tounge, Where strands of song, Lances glades and linger, Beneath the silver moon, Full and glowing silver, Dripping honey Down along My lips to suckle. © Marie Hedrick 4/9/2000