Writing from the stemistry lab
The soul gardener
by Stevie Ronnie
Children! Come and sit with me,
listen. Let me begin:
Once I had a delicious dream
as true as kiss on skin.
Now in this dream I travelled high
up past the clouds and moon;
beyond the stars and to a house
where it is always June.
And in the garden, inside a hut,
is a woman of gold;
I met her and she told me that
she’s the gardener of souls.
‘And would you like to look around
my patches and my beds?’
‘Yes, but I’d rather look around
inside the house instead.’
‘Hmmm! I’d like to take you there,
but I’m afraid I can’t.’
She walked away, I followed her,
in through a knobbly gate.
And then before me was a sight
that was out of this world;
I boinged about in sheer delight:
‘A garden full of souls!’
Some were shaped like cauliflowers,
Some like curly ferns;
Some were growing straight like flowers,
and some like wiggly worms.
And so I said ‘This is true; but how
do I know it is real?’
‘Well, follow me and I will show
you where your soul is held.’
And so she did and when I saw
my soul right in the ground
I did not know what shape it was
except it wasn’t round.
And so I asked: ‘I’ve found my soul,
what else is there to do?’
‘Be careful not to steal from it,
don’t let it steal from you.’
And though I’m not sure what this means,
I hope I go again
to see my soul inside a dream
as true as a kiss on skin.