A Mother
By Olivia Sykes Warm hands Fingerprints that hold memories of touches and gentle caresses Cracked lips From countless tender kisses on warm foreheads Tired eyes Countless arguments and worrisome glances Young souls become old Storyteller Tales of beautiful girls in satin garments Strong princes in bound leather boots that mount steeds of glory Wanting to be that story Simply due to the passion in that hoarse voice The voice that is hoarse because of passion Protector How much to let go How much to keep hidden In a world where curiosity hurts so many Yet a lack of desire to know kills imagination Fingers Cold and calloused A gentle touch so soft it heals Creased lines in a face Streaks of gray tones in dark spider web hair None of it taking away from youth or beauty Spectacular Objects of grace and beauty Come with age Age that grows each second Each second creates a new moment A perfectly preserved capture of time That those lines and grays have loved Where they have existed in a person who adores so fiercely Beauty is not defined by physicality Laughter Not melodious or song-bird in nature Deep and surprising Chocolate The fresh scent of muffins out of a recently used oven Lavender A candle burning by a bedside table Soap used to wash the well worn hands A book A story about a faraway place Tucked up in a warm fortress of blankets Arms that express more emotion in one instant Then can be written in thousands of words and phrases in a lifetime 30 seconds to change a mind A mother Valentine's Day isn't actually happy for a lot of people. What do you do if you're single? The pressure to buy a good gift or to make a wonderful and elaborate night to remember. And what kind of chocolate do you even buy? Do you waste your money on expensive gifts or do something else with it? I don't even know where to buy flowers. See it's tough. Oh and the Valentine's Day massacre. Yep that's always fun. So I decided to write this for my mom. You know, even though all that stuff makes it not my favourite holiday, I still made an effort. Enjoy. Olivia xx Ps. Sorry if you've already seen this too, and yeah I do know it's no longer February 14.
3 Comments
A Streetlamp
by Olivia Sykes December The air is cool and full of cigarette smoke A cough rises from the throat of an old woman The tap of her cane on the street’s cobblestones Muffled by the damp snow It’s evening People passing Crunching of boots in slush and snow Fallen the night before The click of a busy man’s lighter is heard Click click The ball of fire light turns on and off Chests heavy with a day's work Rise and fall with each cold intake of breath Rising, falling The gaze of a young woman is averted to the ground Passers-by are too busy to notice her tear-stained cheeks Too preoccupied to ask why she has no coat Streets are somber Silent The only voices heard are whispers in the winter wind A man walks past a street lamp Such a hurry No destination Eyes so clear Like ice sheets glazed with melting snow It turns on and illuminates the darkness of the paved sidewalk Click click The light turns on and off Dark seconds between its flickering Window sills full of solemn shadows Stars absent from the mourning sky Darkness thicker than blood Footsteps snuffed out by the snow are seldom heard The scutter of a shop owner dashes quickly into the night Click click The lamp turns off The bulb burnt out No one tries to relight it Most people have probably already read this... I'll post it anyways. I wish I could live in a world
Where equality is normalcy I wish I could live in a world Where fear is a distant memory I wish I could live in a world Where every child's mother kisses them goodbye and their dad reads them bedtime stories I wish I could live in a world Where you can love whoever you want and the world would accept it I wish I could live in a world Where racism is a long lost word people don't remember how to use I wish I could live in a world Where no one walks two hours to get clean water I wish I could live in a world Where freedom is known to everyone I wish I could live in a world Where wealth is measured in kindness I wish I could live in a world Where no one is hungry I wish I could live in a world Where everyone believes they're worth it I wish I could live in a world Where everyone has a home I wish I could live in a world Where "yes I can" is said eight times more than "it's too hard" I wish I could live in a world Where everyone feels they belong I wish I could live in a world Where everyone is hugged at least 10 times a day I wish I could live in a world Where happy endings do come true I wish I could live in a world Where everyone achieves one impossible thing before breakfast I wish I could live in a world Where 'beautiful' is just another word for 'me' I wish I could live in a world Where people stop and wait to capture a butterfly beating its wings I wish I could live in a world Where wonder is all around me I wish I could live in a world Where violence has been shattered by the force of selflessness I wish I could live in a world Where everyone feels safe I wish I could live in a world Where lying is an option, but no one sees the need to do it I wish I could live in a world Where generosity is the world currency I wish I could live in a world Where people spend hours attempting to put the beauty of a sunset into words I wish I could live in a world Where the thought of hurting someone is a thought so unfathomable, they must look up how to possibly do it in a dictionary I wish I could live in a world Where people believe in magic I wish I could live in a world Where sunshine hits the world in such a way, people have to stop and think about it I wish I could live in a world Where the most important thing for someone at a certain moment, is creating a word to describe the feeling of seeing a rainbow after it rained. And how two people were waiting at a bus stop when it did, so one had to lend an umbrella to the other. And this precise moment created their love. I wish I could live in a world Where humanity lives in harmony around the globe I wish I could live in a world Where no one sees the point in negative thoughts I wish I could live in a world Where everyone takes a step back to appreciate the planet we live on I wish I could live in a world Where everyone cares about the environment I wish I could live in a world Where everyone has a friend I wish I could live in a world Where all of this is possible What world do you want to live in? -Olivia Once there was a girl who lived with her mother, father and brother in a large house made of marble. Everyday the girl would wake up to the marble walls and she would see the wondrous marble staircase that led down to her gargantuan marble living room. She lived in a house of white. The couch was white, the window frames were white, even the family cat was a white Persian with almost black eyes to match the black mixed in with the white marble. The girl had nice, white clothes and went to a nice, fancy, school, but she was never really happy. But she never let anyone else know that. To everyone at her nice, fancy, school, she always bragged about her father's law firm and the big bucks he brought home. She talked about how her mother always let her buy enormous amounts of chocolate after school. The girl made everyone jealous and had a bucket load of admirers, but no real friends. But she didn't let anyone know how lonely she was, and was cold and mean to everyone around her. One day, there was a strange new girl at the big, fancy, school. She didn't wear nice clothes, or have her own driver to take her to school, and she was certainly not the kind of kid to go to a fancy school. She was weird. She liked patched, old, coloured clothes. Even more strange, she always seemed very happy and no matter how much the girl teased the new girl, she always had a smile on her face. The girl was very jealous and very lonely, but she didn't let anyone know that. For weeks and weeks, the girl tormented and loathed the new girl. But the girl never wavered in her kindness or her smile. So after two months the girl had had enough. Why couldn't she wipe that smile off that wretched new girl's face??? She went over and confronted the new girl. "Why do you smile so much? You'll never get anywhere with those homeless rags. Why doesn't your poor father get a job? Is he just so stupid that no one wants him?" "Hello." "Answer the question! Or are you so dim you can't understand me?" "I smile because I have all the reasons to. The world is a colourful place with happiness waiting around every corner. Even for you. If you let me I could help you. I see how sad you are." "Oh shut up! What do you know anyways? The world is a sad, monochromatic, place. Deal with it. And I'm not sad! What do you know?!" And she walked away. She felt more lonely than before but she didn't let the new girl know that. For the entire next week, the new girl tried to help the girl feel happier. She tried to talk to her and let her help but she just turned away. She wouldn't listen. So one day after school, the new girl went over to the other girl's house, to which she answered the door. "What on earth are you doing here? How DARE you show up here at my house!" "I just came for you to hear me out. I want to help you." "I don't need help, and especially not your help." "Well you don't even need to speak to me. I just want to try something. Please. It's just a gift. I have something for you." Out from her rugged backpack she pulled out a bright, yellow, sweater with butterflies on it. "This is my favourite sweater. I thought it could bring you some happiness when you're feeling grey." She handed it to the girl and she swatted her hand away. "I don't want your weird homeless clothes! Go away!" And she slammed the door. She felt sadder than ever, but of course, she didn't let anyone know this. That night as the girl lay in bed she couldn't sleep. So she went downstairs to get some water and spotted something out the window. The yellow sweater. She moved closer. The new girl must have left it. She didn't know why but she steeped outside, and the girl took the sweater out of the cold, and into her room. She buried it in her closet. A week passed and the sweater stayed in her closet. Three weeks and it was still there. After a month the new girl, not new anymore after three months, decided that she might finally give up. The other girl seemed to do nothing and didn't want to change. Then she turned to the front of the class where someone was just arriving. She didn't know who at first but realized the girl was wearing a bright, yellow, sweater, with butterflies on it. Then she realized it was the other girl. It was her. The girl walked in the class to see the new girl. She walked up to her and said, "Im sorry." "That's okay. You were just sad." Then the girl did something for the first time in her life. She let the other girl know just how sad she was. And how equally happy she was now that she could finally tell someone. Hello dear readers. I hope you enjoyed the story. Although it has nothing to do with Japan directly it has everything to do with how I'm feeling. Sometimes everything seems like hard marble and I feel like all the colour and happiness has seeped out of me. Living in a strange place can do that. Everyone sometimes needs a yellow sweater to get past their cold marble mix of emotions. I know that I do. Now I'll leave you with some Phil Collins lyrics because Phil Collins is great :)
Come stop your crying It will be alright Just take my hand Hold it tight I will protect you From all around you I will be here Don't you cry For one so small, You seem so strong My arms will hold you, Keep you safe and warm This bond between us Can't be broken I will be here Don't you cry 'Cause you'll be in my heart Yes, you'll be in my heart From this day on Now and forever more You'll be in my heart No matter what they say You'll be here in my heart, always -You'll be in my heart, Phil Collins Dear Wallace,
It appears that I am missing socks again. I assume it was you my dear Wallace. I remember finding you with a couple of pairs a while ago and I'm fairly certain you have done it again! Okay well I wanted to tell you about my first days in Nagoya, since you can't seem to stop asking about it. So on Friday, (that's Thursday for you!) I had a little tour around the area I'm currently staying in. We went to the ward office to register where we are staying, the bank so we could establish bank accounts and then for lunch at a conveyor belt sushi place. The food was divine and I loved the idea of the conveyor belt. It was so cool and the sushi was inexpensive and good quality! Now after that we had a day where we went shopping at the grocery store and the subway systems. It was really strange with all the weird new food and the writing impossible to understand! I pulled out Google Translate so many times I lost count. In the end we got some really cool food items and a lot of new things so it was certainly a great experience. Now Wallace, you remember how the metro system is back in Montreal? Well the subway here is so much more complicated. It's really not the same! Well okay, maybe a little, but there's so many more people and a lot more underground shopping stores! It was an experience and I have to say I have a new appreciation for the metro back home. Wallace, I know by now you're probably eating this letter because of boredom, (you weirdo) but please stop and read on! Okay so, the day after that we went shopping for basic commodities and a plunger. Yes yes a plunger. They're useful things plungers!!! I know that I usually have to buy these types of things for you because you never remember (you always run out of paper towels!) but we had to get one for our own place. So we bought the plunger, got some school supplies (very chic ones) and some rice and things. Oh and we saw a robot. I think he liked me Wallace. Though I doubt he would've liked you much you're too quiet. And then there's today. The house hunting extravaganza! It was fun and tiring and I got dusty footprints all over the floors! Agh! I had such a good time looking through the apartments and making a pro and cons list for all 10 places we saw! I am so happy that we'll live in one of them :) Thank you so much for listening to me babble, Olivia, your extreme interior house dancing partner and friend P.s. Please note Wallace was created for comical effect. But he thinks he's real so don't offend him by telling him. Thanks. One DayOne day I will wake up
In a whole new land The trees and rivers I won't understand One day I will go Where no one can follow With buildings of glass There will be no time to wallow One day I will see A lot more of this planet I'll meet lots of people I'll say "Hello Janet" One day I'll hear The traffic by my window Listen to new birds Singing their crescendo One day I will speak A whole new language It will all be new I must rip off the bandage One day I'll need To carry my head high Forget the sorrows of the past Say "The future is nigh!" One day I'll appreciate The new land that I'll live in I'll learn lots of things And words such as 'acetophenetidin' One day I'll remember My old home and country And I'll feel sad And nostalgic and lonely But one day I'll admit That this was an adventure One that was important One that gave me pleasure One day I'll wake up In a whole new land With mountains and fields I might not understand One day there'll be no doubt I'll just be free I'll be happy in my new home I'll finally just feel like me I wrote this poem because I am hoping I'll learn to appreciate Japan and the adventure I'll go on. Everyone tells me that it's a great opportunity and when I'm older I'll appreciate it. I never want to listen, but I know that this is the truth. One day I will appreciate it. I'll be so thankful for my parents and everything they've done for me. So thank you mom and dad xxx -Olivia |
AuthorHey I'm Olivia check out the other pages for some more information! Archives
February 2017
Categories |