Work Text:
Crystalline Conscientiousness
Beyond time
Beyond space
On the tiny world whose glimpse is a snapshot of everything that was or is to be
I dance among the crystal caverns
The Quadrant of Quartz
The mines of otherworldly glimmer
Lustre of frozen time emanating light like the final embers of a fire
The tradition started recently
My second time I visited actually
I like to go spelunking
Into those dreamy dreary caverns
The twinkle
The sparkle
The diamond studded skies
Changing
Eternal
Shifting
Stable
Into the hall of sparkling mirrors
I dance
And twirl
And wave to all the people around me
Different facets
Different gems
Different faces to see
So, I say “Hello.”
Hello to me
The air is cool and refreshing
The crystals drip like gentle tears
The puddles ripple and shift
My boots splash gently
I look at the green reflection
They stare back in through me
Their eyes blink
As do mine
Those aren't my boots
That's not my dress
But the twinkle of my eyes…
That's my smile
That's my frown
Those are the same droplets that spray from my shoes
Am I dreaming?
Am I falling?
Am I going mad?
The air is cool
My breath is warm
My jacket is warmer
My hammer has weight
My cards are in my pocket
A breath
A heartbeat
A flicker
A brainwave
A soul
Yet every facet differs
A new angle?
Another time or place?
What could have been?
I keep looking
Observing
Some look happy
Some look scared
Some look content
Some look scarred
Some look older
Some look younger
Some look alive
Some look empty
They blink
They look back
Are some regretting?
Are they alive?
Are they real?
Am I real?
I turn around
Above and below they look
Not in judgement
At least I hope not
I contemplate
But I can't look away
What happened?
What could be?
Curiosity beckons
And I can't disobey
This world of me
This galaxy of me
I see hope
Regrets
Tears
Joy
A rainbow of experience
The crystals grow closer
The cool and soothing surface
It whispers
I am almost drawn in
To learn and explore
And I am suddenly pulled away
"This isn't my life."
The thought interrupts me
I step back
They watch in anticipation
And I find the exit
I wave goodbye
They wave back
I might visit them again
But I can't get caught in what could be
And miss out on the now I have