W.O.R.D. Club Archives

Week #10

Instructions
(With inspriation from the children's book Instructions, by Neil Gaiman)

Lucia Fox

Your heart will beat to the rhythm of a thousand drums
But do not be afraid.
Your head will pound with the roar of a thousand whispers
But do not be afraid.
Your eyes will be overwhelmed by the vision of a thousand colours
But do not be afraid.

Whatever you do
Do not be afraid.

Henry Knight

You will face a scene that use to be of your imagination

You will hear the sounds that could only have imagined once

You will see the sights that you could have only closed your eyes to see

You will smile like you did when you would dream beneath the stars

You would remember when you created your own world long before and smile at it now as a reality

Week #11

Songs

Lucia Fox

Manuscript Girl

Sometimes it seems like she's just
A page of manuscript paper,
All blank and neat and beautiful
And ready to be scribbled all over
With tunes and melodies and lyrics.

Maybe it's her voice:
It sounds like she's always singing,
Or, at least, waiting to sing,
And every word spoken is just
A rehearsal for the real thing.

Or maybe it's the way she walks:
It looks like she's always swaying
To the beat of a song nobody else
Can hear; but she can,
And that's all that matters.

But she's still a blank page,
Still ready to be moulded
And shaped
And written on,
Until her smooth rhythms
Become something more,
Something else.

Until her manuscript is scribbled on,
All over,
And transformed
From a blank page
To a song

Gabriela Haworth
*bracketed segments taken from the song "I'd Give My Life for You" from the musical Miss Saigon.

[You didn't ask me to be born
You, why should you learn of war or pain?
To make sure you're not hurt again
I swear I'll give my life for you.]

i dont understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you told me to smile
when i was happy
you pulled at my cheeks and i laughed
and you laughed too
i think.
i like it when that happens.

[I've tasted love beyond all fear
And you should know it's love
That brought you here]

i don't understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you told me papa would come home
very soon, you said.
you smiled then
like you were happy
and i smiled too, and you hugged me
i think.
i like it when that happens.

[You will be who you want to be
You, can choose whatever heaven grants
As long as you can have your chance
I swear I'll give my life for you]

i don't understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you told me about my future.
you laughed so much you cried
well that's what you told me afterwards.
i like it that you laugh so much you cry.
you do it every night
when you think i'm not watching
and it makes me so glad
to see that you're happy
i think.

[No grace, no hope
No chance, no change
No goodbye, no regrets
No regrets, no return]

i don't understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you told me about your job
why you come home late every night.
i'm happy you're laughing
because i wouldn't be.
but you said it's ok
you can keep looking after me
and that won't ever change
i think.

[As long as you can have your chance
I swear I'll give my life for you
No one can stop what I must do
I swear I'll give my life for you!]

i don't understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you came back crying
clutching yourself
you stumbled through the door and kissed me
hard
like you never wanted to let go.

i don't understand the words of your lullabies, mum.
last night
you told me the story
of how he beat you because of me
and i have to keep quiet tonight.
it was only a joke, you said
and you laughed
but you cried yourself to sleep again last night
i know the story
mum. look at me. listen to me.
it's ok.
i swear i'll give my life for you.