Kai Without Gerda

Friendship is one of the most beautiful things in life. We falsely believe friendship is something that will last forever... and forever often turns out to be shorter than we first assumed.

Do you remember that day so long ago?
We were so young - just diving into friendship.
We tumbled and rolled down that grassy hill,
Landing finally in a patch of dreams.

We each picked our path set in roses -
Mine was white while yours was crimson.
We took them home and set them side by side
Between our blooming hearts.

Do you remember that adventure so long ago?
We broke free of our parents' unruly reign
And into that forbidden forest we wandered,
Even if none were to follow.

They all got scared and you wanted to go back,
But I was determined to pull through.
When I got in a pinch, ready to give up and let go,
Guess who came back to my rescue?

And that church, so beautiful it was.
The bell chimed like a hymn ringing over the land.
And they didn't believe us that we'd found it,
But our eyes, minds and hearts knew different.

Do you remember that winter so long ago?
We were skating at the rink with the other kids.
You, being clumsy, fell first, knocking down the rest,
Including me, and we all laughed.

But that was the winter which came so cold,
And the wind so bitter and harsh.
The snow came in oh-so cruelly, and I will never forget
When that shard of sacred glass reached your heart.

Your eyes, once warm and welcoming,
Turned to a darkened, sharp, cold look.
You pushed me roughly, your shove so hard
I almost fell into the snow - I knew it wasn't you.

That night was long and hard to sleep;
I tried, tossing and turning, but I just couldn't.
When I woke at the crack of dawn,
I learned that you'd disappeared over night.

Grabbing a coat, hat and gloves
I left my dearest granny and disappeared with you.
For the wink I'd slept the night you left
I had seen you get onto that white carriage and go with her.

Everyone said you were dead, drowned in that lake,
And I thought of us all playing there, tears swelling in my eyes.
I knew that it couldn't be true, that you hadn't died;
I'd seen you get onto that white carriage and go with her!

So I tried to follow, asking for people who might know where you went.
An old crow told me the way, pointing me towards a castle.
A queen and her princess - daughter, she said - offered me a ride,
And then I got onto that white carriage and went with her.

You couldn't spell eternity - I wondered about friendship?
I cried for you, but you didn't cry back as the legend said.
You sat there in confusion and puzzlement, looking from her back to me.
I was afraid that you'd get onto that white carriage and go with her.

I tried to do as the legend said - get you to cry the shard free,
But I guess that was just a waste of time
Because you brushed off my effort, stood up and walked away,
Headed towards that white carriage.

I couldn't stand there and watch
As you left your old, beautiful life behind.
I sobbed without trying to rein my emotions
For I wasn't the Gerda you needed.

Author's Note

This piece was written about an experience I went through with my best friend, and how we dealt with the changes she was going through. Perhaps it wasn't the best way to handle the situation, but... in the end, I think the separation was for the best. Maybe one day, when we aren't hormonal teenagers, we'll meet someplace unexpectedly and we will be able to rekindle our friendship... maybe.

Reviews

[Deviant Works]

Amazing. Very well written. Moving from start to finish. I await more from you.

[Zeinab]

I think is amazing. Great job. :)