It was a time that weighed heavy on the heart,
when my mind and sad spirit yearned for peace,
and from a harried world, a brief release,
to consider, perhaps, a smoother course to chart.

With no clear plan, yet no surprise to find,
my feet were ambling through a wooded glen,
as often my soul seems to send me when
too much of the way of the world invades my mind.

In this time and space, my heart had led me to
a chance encounter of the most wondrous kind.
Had I simply left the real world far behind
or is real another something I never truly knew?

For there she was, as plain and strong and true,
as the half unconsious pinch I delivered to my arm
repeatedly to try and awaken from this charm,
or spell, or dream, or glass I'd fallen through.

"If you keep that up, you'll raise a frightful bruise",
she said, though I'd swear, her mouth had never moved,
or was it the sight of her glistening horn that proved
too strong a hold to search for further clues.

"It was high time we met", she said, "you and I,
not just heart to heart, but again face to face,
that seems so required in the outerplace,
though my eyes and heart never understood why.

The eyes have always known they could only see
what the heart had already known full well
But that's not a story that I need to tell
since your heart is what finally led you to me."

So there in the peace of a morning-gloried field,
I became reacquainted with a long forgotten friend
who I thought I'd lost forever when childhood met its end
until my outereyes closed to the world now revealed.

"Starshine", I asked, "there's one thing I'd like to know.
In the outerplace they tell of your magic horn.
How once upon a time you travelled each morn
To the watering pools of the beasts of long ago.

And where an evil poison was released unaware
you'd dip in your horn and again make it clean."
"Ah, friend, but that's 'magic' that you've already seen,
when a touch to a loved one relieves them from care.

There's no more to my horn, then there is to your kind touch,
or your smile to the lonely, though magic it truly is
If only every outerman knew this gift was his
perhaps outerpeople wouldn't suffer quite as much."

So the day continued, though I couldn't say how long
and many a memory came back with wonders shared
"Do try and tell the outerplace that if they truly cared,
they needn't consign us to legends, myth and song.

We're alive and well, as you can plainly see,
and we welcome hearts that warmly guide them here,
though worlds apart, the path between is clear
as the one that led your searching heart to me.

And who knows, one day, the outerplace may find,
that my friends and I venture into the outerworld
when the flag of peace is finally unfurled
and the outermen and women learn the art of being kind.

~Spiritsong