Some say they live in myths alone, only in foolish fantasies do they dwell
Yet they exist so strongly in a child’s dreams and heart- that, belief alone, makes them real
She’s ventured far off, into a beautiful forest with descending leaves of gold, orange, and red
Oblivious to peril, her curious and adventurous heart followed the sounds of water ahead
Desiring to touch the cool waters, faster and deeper into the cumbersome woods she strayed
With the perceived comfort and safety her teddy-bear companion consistently gave
She encountered fallen trees, and playfully dodged downed limbs and rocks
Yet the suns’ quick fade escaped her recognition, and she unknowingly became lost
She was delighted upon arrival… the stream was everything she imagined, fast flowing, clear, and serene
And straight away she unleashed her toes and surrendered them to the stream
Although she was clothed for falls’ brisk air, with a jacket to keep her warm
The surrounding chill began to reveal itself in fury; shadows quickly outran the reach of the sun
The forest was still somewhat illuminated; the diminishing daylight was masked by the tall trees
So she naively held no fear within her heart that darkness soon would be
Throwing stones as big as her small hands, hearing the hollow clunk and delighting in each splash
She felt so much joy and contentment, while in perilous solitude she continued to laugh
Then as if in an instant, darkness consumed the shelter of day
And fear began to invade her once safe youthful play
She looked around in all directions; she knew not which way to go
Frantically she tried to maneuver the wooded maze crying out in search of home
Yet no one could hear her cries, as she was deep in the forests’ core
She was weary and fell to rest upon the foot of a majestic oak beneath the stars
Suddenly she heard a sound, frightening and unfamiliar
She opened her eyes and lifted her head to see a large, obscure figure
It looked just like a horse at first, but it was surrounded by light, and had a horn
Could this be, she thought to herself, my own fairy tale unicorn?
She stood up tall and unafraid with outstretched hands toward this beautiful being
And when she touched it, she knew a warmth and peace of which she’d never dreamed
The unicorn gently settled to the ground and invited her to follow
And that little girl curled up close, and stayed warm until morrow
She fell into a restful sleep enveloped by safety, with uninterrupted dreams of beauty, and love
Once she awoke, the unicorn was gone, but never the memory of
After a panicked search her parents found her alive and well
And she could not contain her delight as she shared her enchanted tale
Met with disbelief she nourished her gifted secret within her heart
Her hands touched faith manifested that night, and with that touch doubt fell apart
Angels, unicorns and the like were more than just characters in stories she was read
Confined no more to pages, they activated a child-like belief she’d hold forever in her stead
Beings described as myths, fantasies known only in dreams and stories
Came alive in vivid brilliance the night she was lost in that forest
No one could prompt her to lose faith in things unseen
She knew the hope of realized imagination; she knew the wakened dream
They were as real as the sky was blue and as warm as the flaming sun
And to this day, all grown up… she still believes in unicorns…
©E.D. Allee
February 28, 2012
journeyinrhyme 
