Lost Wilderness | Teen Ink

Lost Wilderness

September 2, 2011
By aurorairis SILVER, Darien, Connecticut
aurorairis SILVER, Darien, Connecticut
6 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Some distance from my girl-hood home
Where the brook babbled
And the birds sang
Where the trees towered overhead
And the moss blanketed the forest floor
Where the trees went as far as the eye could see

And the fairies danced in the filtered light of the leaves
Where I buried my treasure chest
And built my castle
Where I rode unicorns at the speed of light
And fought off purple, fire breathing dragons
Where the natural world created a cadence
Which lifted my soul, spirit, and ignited my imagination

Where once
From the twisting shadows
I witnessed the birth of a creature made entirely of dreams and shooting stars
A fawn
Where I watched him stand and wobble on stilts
And his enormous eyes open for the first time
Where he disappeared into the forest
His star, dappled coat swallowed up by the trees and flickering lights
Never to be seen again

Some years ago I returned to this magical place
Where I cried and laughed
Dreamt and thought
Where I could be myself
Where anything was possible
Where now there are no unicorns or fairies
No purple, fire breathing dragons or singing birds
No towering trees as far as the eye can see
No blanket of moss or natural cadence
No creatures made of dreams and stardust
But rather
Nothing but
Asphalt
Exhaust
Neon signs
Honking horns
And road kill
As far as the eye can see


The author's comments:
I was inspired by the world around me and the fact that so many true wildernesses are being lost forever.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 2 comments.


AriShine GOLD said...
on Aug. 3 2012 at 12:14 pm
AriShine GOLD, Norcross, Georgia
13 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Whatever you are, be a good one." -Abraham Lincoln

I love this poem! You really captured the feeling here, and it almost made me cry. Great imagery, too. I really feel the passion behind this. GGRRREEATT work!

 


on Aug. 2 2012 at 8:43 pm
thatgirl99 BRONZE, Darien, Connecticut
4 articles 0 photos 16 comments
Captivating!  Your final stanza with emphasis put on each of this things which have now become so common really concludes this poem with impact.  I love how the poem begins with your magical childhood home and strikes at the conclusion with reality.  Thank you!