COUNTRY WESTERN STAR walks in the shadowlands, singing her songs to
the critters of the forest, and tending to vast gardens filled with
unmarked graves. She is the keeper of justice, guided by her trusted
compass, which is not marked with the usual North, East, West or South,
but instead bears the letters L, M, F & R, for LOVE, MURDER,
FORGIVENESS, REVENGE.
**********************************************************
I
awoke to find myself in a field at the edge of a forest. I heard
seagulls overhead and the smell of salt air filled my nose. The ocean
must be close. There was a ramshackle house in the near distance. Claps
of thunder filled an ominous and darkened sky. My eyes were still wet
with tears from the night before. I sat up, leaning forward to wipe my
face with my sleeve, and as I lowered my arm, a small fox appeared
before me. The fox wore a crown of stars, and spoke these words:
“Cry, til you can't cry anymore.
Bleed, til you don't bleed any more.
Weep, til you wake up on the floor, that's when you'll know you're ok...
That's when you'll know you're ok....
That's when you'll know...”
Its
words trailed off as it disappeared into the tall thick grass toward
the ramshackle house. The sky opened up as I stoo …
COUNTRY WESTERN STAR walks in the shadowlands, singing her songs to
the critters of the forest, and tending to vast gardens filled with
unmarked graves. She is the keeper of justice, guided by her trusted
compass, which is not marked with the usual North, East, West or South,
but instead bears the letters L, M, F & R, for LOVE, MURDER,
FORGIVENESS, REVENGE.
**********************************************************
I
awoke to find myself in a field at the edge of a forest. I heard
seagulls overhead and the smell of salt air filled my nose. The ocean
must be close. There was a ramshackle house in the near distance. Claps
of thunder filled an ominous and darkened sky. My eyes were still wet
with tears from the night before. I sat up, leaning forward to wipe my
face with my sleeve, and as I lowered my arm, a small fox appeared
before me. The fox wore a crown of stars, and spoke these words:
“Cry, til you can't cry anymore.
Bleed, til you don't bleed any more.
Weep, til you wake up on the floor, that's when you'll know you're ok...
That's when you'll know you're ok....
That's when you'll know...”
Its
words trailed off as it disappeared into the tall thick grass toward
the ramshackle house. The sky opened up as I stood to follow. The cold
rain ran down my forehead, tickling my nose. I had always wanted to see
inside an old house like this, a shell of memories, containing within
its walls so many untold stories... Would I feel them? The door creaked,
and there was no sign of the fox. The house was dark and empty except
for one tall mirror that stood near the main window of the sitting
room. Most of the silver had worn away from the back of the mirror,
but I could still make out my reflection. Although I wore blue jeans,
the girl staring back at me was dressed in a long pale blue gown. I
could see that she must have recently lost her head, as the stitches
now holding it in place looked quite new. She opened her mouth and
began to sing, and as she walked toward me, she left behind her
reflection, merging into my skin. My head was suddenly full of songs
I'd never heard before. Songs I felt I'd known my whole life. There was
a strong breeze coming in from the cracks in the walls, which made the
fabric of that pale blue gown flap and flow, tickling my legs. I
looked down to see it spilling over my feet onto the floor, and I
smiled. I ran to the kitchen in search of something I somehow knew I
would find. There, in the back of a dusty old cupboard sat one lone
teacup. It was pink and white, and trimmed in gold. I took it with me,
and when I forget myself, I drink from it. I drink from that cup to be
reminded, and then I sing. I sing, and never forget the words the
little fox spoke to me. That’s when I remember...
To remember who I am.
THESE ARE THE SONGS OF *COUNTRY WESTERN STAR*, performed by Kelly Haigh with Frances the Singing Dog.
