THE VALLEY OF LOST LAUGHTER

(Before…)

Above the valley of lost laughter

A grey shroud hovers.

Heavy, sinister, still.

A pixelated granite slab,

Impermeable to light,

Obstinate, oppressive,

Day after day,

As dark and constant as our daily newsfeed.

Sad skeletons of trees gnaw on my dwindling reserves of optimism,

As I sit by the window, clutching another mug of tea.

Finally, a filigree of blue fractures the slab.

Soon there is a stripe, then a clearing.

Instantly, a heartening of colour-wrapped people emerges

From everywhere,

Scent-delirious dogs scurry in zigzags,

A young mother power-walks her child in an intrepid-looking pram,

And a family of six embarks on a courageous, wobbly bike ride.

I pull on my boots.

We are all light seekers,

And blue skies always return.

All we can do is

Keep the faith.

Even while walking in the Valley of Lost Laughter.

(After!)

Buy me some bananas to make more banana bread