A STORY. 86. DOES HOPE SPRING ETERNAL?

The words are echoing in you,

hope may spring eternal
but the kernel may not grow
spring may be too slow
if the climate is too cold
if the ice will not crack

Outside the days are getting shorter and colder. You found the old bookstore in spring. And now it is late autumn. Very windy out today. Soon there will be the turning back of the clock and darkness will come even earlier. Right now you wake up in darkness.

Is the climate too cold?

Too cold for what?

There is still no ice, but there soon will be.

But that is outdoors.

Indoors, in this slightly dusty second-hand bookstore, in the comfortable old armchair, it is warm.

And in your life?

It is calm.

But what about forever alone?

forever alone
a dog without a bone
a child without a home
a voice without words
a spring without birds
forever
          ever
                    alone

never
          with a match
forever
          a catch

hopes forever dashed
tires forever slashed
plans crashed    smashed

https://elsasemporium.com/forever-alone.html

It’s been a long time since you had plans for any changes, since you even wondered if life might be better with more than two cats.

And are you forever a catch? But who might want to catch you?

You decide you’ve been in the bookstore long enough for today, more than long enough.

You’re not looking forward to going out into the cold, but there it is - no choice.

But there are things where there is choice.

To read love poetry. Or not to read love poetry. You have a choice.

You decide you’ve had enough of gaps you can’t cross and hopes forever dashed,
tires forever slashed.

To be continued . . .
A STORY. 87. A QUESTION AT THE DOOR
https://elsaiselsa.substack.com/p/a-story-87-a-question-at-the-door

A STORY. ALL THE CHAPTERS ... UP TO NOW
https://elsaiselsa.substack.com/p/a-story-table-of-contents-up-to-now

Posted Oct 28, 2024