“Lady of the Rose”
(A Poetic tale by Funshine Bear)

An ancient mistress, adorned in scarlet
Crowned with jade and diamond stones
Appeared to me on an October’s autumn
The forest path had taken me from home
Ghostly skies groaned deeply above us
While winds shook the river bed below.

A shadowy visage embraced the light
Illuminated by her wooden staff alone
A raven perched upon her shoulder
His midnight iris glared into my own.

“For what you may wish but a tender kiss
A warm caress to soothe your bones?
But a field of regret, still pains you yet
For those dreams you could not hold
You are running in darkness, my boy
Waiting for your destiny to unfold.”

She approached me then in perfect silence
And bade me near the river’s oily streams
Her elegant hand held a scooner glass
Which she then filled and gave to me
My reflection taken by moonlight’s halo
I recalled why I ran away from home
To escape the torment of memories
When I was found in my sister’s clothes.

Tears of pain dripped into the cup
And a pulsating blue light was cast
I turned to see a frozen sapphire rose
Which she carefully placed into the glass
Moments passed, the woman raised her hands
And the rose blossomed before my eyes
Sparkling bright, it was the only light
In the midst of this sleeping land.

Yet despite it’s bloom the rose withered soon
And collapsed into the depths, a tangled mass
Glowing mists coiled within and filled the bottom fast.

“Drink quickly from the fountain of dreamers
I invite you to consume the reflection of your soul
Beneath this autumn moon, slake your thirst for hope
Mind you, the effects remain until your tears tell you so
In that time, only a red rose may unbind this spell I sow.”

Silently uncertain I drank the glowing rose potion
And allowed it’s sweet and warm cotton taste to grow
Like a sickly syrup, it’s fibers tickled at my throat
And as I slipped and fell, indeed she caught me well
While the raven quickly retrieved the empty glass
I could not see, only laugh as I was changed by her spell.

Darkness tumbled and lightning echoed, cold
Aspirations of melody and worlds of fantasy
Roared like lions and slithered like serpents
Across a shimmering, tile hallway of pure gold.

I awoke with a steady heart beat in my ears
Held against the woman who had found me
I was astounded to discover I was so small
She cooed reassuringly, relieving me of fear
I heard a new name and answered to it’s call
“Yes, I think Rhayanna sounds lovely, my dear…
I cannot believe you were abandoned here alone.”

As my Mommy held me and we proceeded to go home
I turned back to the bright forest path and quietly thanked
My mysterious savior, The Lady of the Rose…
Wherever she may be now, she remains a part of my soul
A visage of the future, in direct reflection to my sorrow
Is the ever-watchful, raven’s eyes over this world
Now that I have become a precious baby girl…
I pray that your tears sustain your joy, forevermore.
(END)