A Road Of Lemon Bricks

A hag with skin as green as crinkled cabbage,
Screamed a cackling curse.
A vortex whisked
Twisting spirals and coils
Like an unfurling skein of wool.
I held him close, my four-legged friend,
A bundle of fur that nudged closer
For comfort.
I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut
Until they puckered like smocking.
Silence.
A sudden bark and bare blue skies,
As a new world emerged.
With friends of tin, and straw
And a lion as timid as a whisper.
And small folk dancing and skipping.
Wishes come true if you only believe,
Or so the good witch said.
A gift of red shoes,
Which twinkled like the nursery rhyme
With each step I took,
Arm in arm with my chums.
And still the journey made me gasp with wonder.
A road of lemon bricks.
Apes which soared on outstretched wings
Over rainbows in the cyan sky.
A magic castle where lived a wizard
Whose voice boomed from beyond.
“Click your heels in your ruby shoes
And make a wish from your heart.”
With a hug and some tears
I bid farewell to a beast now so brave,
A scarecrow who understood
And a man of tin who cried with love.
Inhaling, I made a wish
“I want to go home - there’s no place like home.”

I wrote this poem for a bit of fun really. I entered it into a 'Going Home' themed competition. I also entered Dusk In Afghanistan and was delighted to win first place with that poem. If you'd like to read it, I put it on my blog a few posts earlier.