A Lost Introduction: An open plane. An endless horizon. Searching. Wanting. Walking. Wander couldn't remember how long he had been on this journey... hours? months?... when he came upon a crossroads where stood a scarecrow of sorts. Then, a voice? Was he delirious from the journey? The scarecrow began to ask, With your burden heavy on your back, filled with regrets from days of old. You seek the answers in this place, but you know there's nothing here to behold.  With your heart heavy in your hand , & the gravel digs deep in your soul. You stumble down this long and winding path, just to strike a deal at the crossroads. You can go right or left, or find it in yourself & what you need. Will you look in my eyes & tell me why you hide from what you believe? ...In this Mystery.

    Wander was puzzled. Was this hollow man telling him where he needed to go?  Sitting by a winding road to hitch a ride to find my way home, back & forth with the seeds I've sown & the hell that I've grown. I've been around a time or two, I've seen some joy, but I've seen more blues, what does that mean to you? The wind drifts down the frontier to fan the flames that fuel my fears, I search for answers in my pain, but the more I find, it goes against the grain. A time or two, I've seen some joy, but I've seen more blues, what does that mean to you? I'm not who you think I am, I'm just a Hollowman, lost at the end of the world. Please try to understand what could have been, for what it's worth.

    With his arms outstretched, the scarecrow's left hand seemed to be pointing to an endless horizon, but the right hand was pointing to a faint glow in the distance. A town? Since we all search for life when we are lost, the glow was where he set his sights. As dusk slowly crept in, Wander took refuge under a nearby tree. Settling down beside the barren road, soon the crickets begin singing their song for the lonely. There was a time when Wander couldn't hear their song…. When I look at my life & see myself, staring back at me is the guise of someone else. Someone I don't know, a face that I can't read, but it fades away when you're here with me.  When the day is long & the nights are cold, I will find you there when you're all alone, drifting from yourself, sailing far away. Please believe me now, when I say: you keep the Crickets out. The symphony of a lonely heart, of a life gone south, looming over countless scars. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, you’re keeping the crickets out.

​

    Fading in & out of dreams, Wander’s thoughts drifted to the fact that all good things must come to an end. There are times, when the sweet has turned bitter, that the only thing left to do is burn it down... A line forgotten by time, lost in the memory of your life. Words of a lovely hymn sung by angels in my mind as the sunlight fades down behind the memories we saved. Holding on the the hope is like trying to catch the smoke. Do you remember when we'd lay Between the Hay & Grass? Time flew by. With the sun in our eyes, we dreamed of the day with the wish that got away. I was young, you were fair, with the lavender in your hair. We walked with the ghost of a love we didn't know, but everything turns to ash, even the hay & grass.

    Once the fire dies and the ashes have all blown away, we're left alone with ourselves, but is that always wise? In the middle of the night I hear a still small voice calling me to my knees; a solemn siren sings a song of redemption in my dreams. I believe. Lead in a direction that I don't understand so I don't even try. I can't seem to find the Missing Person looking through my eyes, in this life. It seems like everyone I know is either an angel a demon or a ghost, but the one I miss the most is me.

    The Dawning sun peeked over the horizon & woke Wander from his slumber to continue his journey through this Forgotten Frontier. The town seemed to recede with every gravel digging step he took but he finally reached the outskirts of the Dark Town just as the sun vanished. “Is it dusk already? Was I really walking that long?” The buildings in this place seemed to be all washed in darkness… slightly askew. He found himself asking, Who made the rules in this life, & all theses lies we hide behind? A veil of righteousness clenched in an angry fist, trembling at the world. Living a life consumed by fear, don't you know there's no one here, trembling at the world. It's a dark time on the town tonight as storm clouds shroud the moonlight, it's a dark time on the town tonight.

       A Crow’s Lament rang out through the night & while the sorrow was something he could relate to, he realized coming here may have been a grave misstep. He found himself drawn to the only place that seemed safe in his fragile state: the church. The bell began to toll as he neared the sacred place & he quickly found a seat among the empty pews in the back. A funeral was taking place. Was he seeing things again?

​

      The man in the casket arose to give warning to Wander: Rolling the bones just trying to find my way, casting the stones & this is the price I pay. If I could go back again would I make the mistakes I made? If you're nothing like me, you'll find a brighter day. If you know a thing or two, you best go the other way. There's always a price to pay and you know there's always a catch. You can run, you can hide, you can try to get away from the deal you made with Ol' Scratch. The mood became somber once again and more voices chimed in, singing a Harvest Hymn: Why do we find it a curse to be blessed with a lost harvest? There's nothing to fear but fear itself.

       Dazed & confused, he rubbed his eyes… only to find himself alone in the church. A worn, scratchy memory of the one he loved & lost long ago suddenly haunted him. As the unbidden memories of his Repine Prelude flowed, his thoughts drifted to The Serenity Prayer he was taught as a young child, and the last time he clung to it. It's been a while since I've seen your face; I can't deny that it seems out of place. From the writings on the wall to these pictures in my hand, these late words you wrote me, now I understand. These shattered memories of who we used to be fell apart so easily. Wanted a new life but instead we bought the farm, bought the trees, bought the house, & bought the cars. You left this Ghost Note to rattle around in the back of my head, to bring me down, & lambast me for my ways. These hard times are rolling in & the blue skies are at an end, but I'll find a brighter day just as soon as you fade away.

    Alone and low on options, he made his way to the tavern where he ordered the biggest bottle of Creepy Little Thing they had on hand. Walking through a graveyard minding my own, looking for a spirit to take home. Reading all the stones to make my choice, when off in the distance I hear a voice. Then I looked around & found myself wondering why I'm scared to death. She's a little creepy & a little strange, a little mixed up & a little deranged. Just like me in every single way! She's my creepy little thing. Having an artificially jolly time with the topheavy patrons at the tavern, he enjoyed the jaunty sound of the Scarydance Rag.

...To Be Concluded  ...but for now, I bid you A Lost Farewell.