Monday, February 20, 2012

Safe and Sound



I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said don't leave me alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I will be safe and sound
     --Taylor Swift, Safe and Sound


The old house stands.

Early spring drips with only the whisper of a sound.

Inside, light filters through windows. It falls with dust on the furniture and empty chairs.

No footfalls creak on the stairs. No rasping pages of a book turn in hands. No voice spits anger or confesses a heart laid bare.

The clock ticks, sleepy yet not asleep, and light filters because none of the trees have unfurled the shade of leaves.

Knives lay in the drawers. Washed.

Knives will clatter if you open the drawers.

12 comments:

February Grace said...

Lovely, as always...

Aine said...

Let's just leave the drawers closed then, shall we?
;)

So nice to hear Katniss' lullaby, though it's not quite how I heard it in my head... alas. Still, I can't wait to see the Hunger Games!

Lee said...

I'm with Aine - just leave the drawers closed - spooky.

Shadow said...

yeah, definitely, keep the drawers closed!

the walking man said...

One thing about a house is you can only leave it sleep for so longbefore it starts to want a human touch.

Jackie Jordan said...

I sense that the final sound was the washed knives clattering while being put away - and the incessant beat of the ticking clock.

Anonymous said...

Bru, thank you!

Aine, movie night, movie night! I'm all for keeping hands off those drawers.

Lee, I'm glad if an unsettled, haunted atmosphere came through.

Shadow, maybe after a long enough time, we might even forget the knives are there.

Walking Man, I think that notion is at work in this piece too.

Jackie, not a peaceful silence.

Aine said...

Jason-- LOL!! I beg to differ...
;)

SzélsőFa said...

i hear you, Jason, for i used to keep walking on the floor till it cracked and cracked some more and kept opening those drawers till the knives clattered and cut my hands.
now the house's all silent again and will be for a long time.
maybe, for ever.
shoot, do i sense a coincidence again?
and i am not a robot :)

Anonymous said...

Aine, um, yeah, drawers...good point. Those drawers are more than okay.... :D

Szelsofa, it must be my Hungarian blood.... Yes, I do sense that you share some of these experiences.

SzélsőFa said...

you made me smile :)

Lee said...

My daughter just gave me the book. I started reading it and need to catch up!