13800
Saturday Morning-3:46am
Alan woke up startled trying to shake away the sleep,
in hopes the sudden action wouldn't take away the dream,
a true familiarity the boy had never felt,
he didn't want to let it go 'cause life had never dealt,
a fair hand to existence; from the moment of his birth,
young Alan had the preconceiving notion he was cursed,
his mother died while having him; his father played the part,
until a faulty valve soon took him too; it slayed his heart.
Still Alan was quite optimistic on this day that's told,
for when the sun arose his age would turn to eight years old,
his wisdom radiated for a lad of meager years,
unlike most kids his age young Alan held such meager fears.
He was quite anxious 'cause his grandma had a party planned,
for later on that afternoon and it'd be hardly bland,
his pals and he would celebrate another year gone by,
Al ventured back to sleep with thoughts of this; a tear from eye.
Saturday Afternoon-3:19 pm
"Happy Birthday Alan!" everybody screamed and cheered,
the day that took too long to him to come it seemed was here,
his party wasn't crowded which to Alan was just fine,
the ones who counted most to him had been there since lunchtime.
His grandma and his uncle Pete; his two friends Paul and Jake,
his cousins Mike and Dan applauded when they saw the cake,
a two-tier chocolate wonder with the S from Superman,
Al's favorite superhero; all was wondrous through the land.
The afternoon went on and all the people stayed for more,
and marvelled at Al's birthday gift; a new Playstation 4,
the party broke 'round 6 with Alan stationed on the floor,
his grandma stood and wondered what did he stop playing for.
"You think my mom and dad are watching?" the young man inquired,
the question made his grandma think about the grand design,
of things; the crazy schemes of life and how it all synced up,
she looked at him and all that she could really think was "What?"
Without a pause he went on; "I'm just wondering if they see,
it makes no sense to me that they could be since they're asleep."
The young boy's utter innocence made Grandma crack a smile,
while cleaning up the party's clutter; then after a while,
she answered him, "They see alright but not like what it seems,
you'll understand it one day Alan; life is but a dream,
and they are wide awake among the other side of sleep.,"
His young mind couldn't ascertain that wonder of the deep.
So on he played away until he couldn't stay awake,
his Madden play was great which made him want to raise the stakes,
he used a fullback in his running game to pave the way,
and dominated like the 49ers; '88.
His grandma let him be until he went and fell asleep,
she draped him in a yellow sheet; fatigue then set him free,
into a place that some of us will hardly ever see,
a place that's only best described as downright heavenly.
Sometime Saturday Night....
Alan sat inside a car; the passenger back seat,
a song played on the radio; the boys from that back street,
he looked outside the window as the fallen dark flew by,
his own reflection looked back as the car blew through the night.
A man was driving and his hair was shaggy long and brown,
it went right down his back like it was dragging on the ground,
he hummed along right with the song and even stayed in tune,
the vehicle kept speeding as if trying to race the moon.
A woman sat in front of Alan but her hair was short,
he didn't recognize these people and was scared of course,
the woman turned around and it was like a bell was rung,
when she looked right at Al while speaking softly; "Hello son."
The boy could not speak back; it seemed as if his mouth had froze,
he felt like he was asking questions but his mouth was closed,
the driver's humming turned an eerie mix of somber-sad,
and that's when Alan knew he rode along with Mom and Dad.
The car's speed then picked up and turned the night into a blur,
as Alan sat and wondered if some trouble might occur,
"Don't be afraid," his father spoke; "It's not like what it seems,
your grandmother was right to tell you life is but a dream."
If Alan didn't know of speed he surely learned it now,
while staring at his mom and dad who both were turned around,
and smiling at him unaware a wall was coming fast,
he found his voice at last and screamed at the oncoming crash:
"LOOK OOOOOOUUUUU...."
Sunday Morning-10:19am
Alan sat outside; his knees to chin and back to tree,
since he shot up at 6 he just could not get back to sleep,
the dream about his parents had his mind all twisted up,
he couldn't make no sense of it yet couldn't give it up.
The speeding car, the crash, and all that happened in between,
and just what did the cryptic message from his daddy mean?
The same words that his grandma spoke were Dad's so true to task,
young Alan rose from out the dirt quite sure of who to ask.
As Grandma watched him from the kitchen window she just knew,
what had the boy so frazzled and he tried to keep up too,
so as he rose to come back in she figured he would ask,
the smaller things appear sometimes the bigger be the task.
"Sit down" Grandma said to Alan as the screen door closed,
"As far as why things are the way they be son me don't know,
but one thing I must tell you with apparent sort of dread,
is what you'll find out anyway; your parents aren't dead."
Alan's mouth hung open like a door kicked off the hinge,
the game is now in overtime and just kicked off to him,
instead of trying to run it back he thought to kneel it down,
inquiring to Grandma just what he could feel with "How?!"
"Living as you know it is a lie to shake us up,
we're not really alive until we die; it wakes us up,
we capture bits and pieces as we sleep; it's just serene,
and that's the way it is dear Alan; life is but a dream."
It all made sense to him right then; a lie as big as sin,
the game of life is rigged because we die to live again,
when people talk of seeing ghosts they're catching just a glimpse,
of someone from the realer life that happens once we end.
Alan hugged his grandma as the tears fell down his face,
and knowing things are not as they appear around this place,
he'll die one day to truly live; it touched the boy inside,
but 'til that day came forth he swore to just enjoy the ride.
©2017
The Cunning Linguist
