Tortoise in a Garden

For ~Serah~

One night,

 upon a ramble,

  a tortoise found a Garden.

A peaceful setting,

 one soothing to the soul,

  and he felt at home.

Settling beneath a bush,

 sleep soon crept over,

  and dreams began.

The voices were soft,

 and ever so sweet,

  talking between themselves,

    with a curious tone.

"What is it,"

 one did ask,

  "and where did it come from?"

"It looks like a rock."

"I don't think so.  I thought it moved."

The tortoise awoke, 

  and stuck out his head.

"I thought I heard voices."

    He sighed,

      and returned to his slumber.

"See?  I told you!"

"But what is it?"

Tortoise stuck out his head again.

"I know I heard something!'

He looked around,

 but saw nary another soul.

Perhaps, 

 he was looking in the wrong place.

While still,

  the song of slumber still calling,

  he dragged his shell into the open,

   letting his curiosity take over.

"Is there someone there?"

Whispers came from above.

"It looks different."

"I don't think it can hurt us."

"Should we introduce ourselves?"

"Yes!'

The tortoise looked up,

  and saw two images floating above him.

Both small and fragile,

  yet full of life and beauty.

One a small fairy,

  who he immediately called a pixie.

The other a princess of a butterfly,

  ever known as flutterby.

They introduced themselves,

  and asked a question,

  one which sealed the tortoise's fate.

"Do you like strawberries?"

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is great writing! You seem to have had a renaissance in your writing since you've been gone! This is really good stuff! Before you were more scattered & random -- enjoyable, but not expecting a poem to make such fun, authentic, valid points! Even tho your primary allegory is a great story in its own right, I also found myself dabbling along the way, thinking about how in life there are those who are watching, bugging a little bit, being curious, we feel them hovering, but we don't quite see them most of the time. These are the fairies & pixies that grace our days with magic perhaps! *wink! wink!* Fondly, Margie

[Jon Roggie]

I had fun with this one. It was dedicated to a poet I met here who has passed away. Serah and Renee were my two companions in our little Garden.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

oh they love any fruit that is read...such a fun story...and this is so timely for me to read, Jon...as starting tomorrow I start my six day span of Tortoise sitting for my friends...they have two, Rex and Rover who are 25 years old...they have had them for their entire lifespan...they are huge and so fascinating...
I have smaller box turtles, three of them...quite like this poem for obvious reasons...
j.

[Jon Roggie]

The one in my avatar is from the nearby Fresno Zoo. They our fun critters!

[Renée]

Nicely done. I’m sure our flutterby is smiling!
To friendship🍓 to the refuge of the garden🍓Cheers, Dear Tortoise

[Jon Roggie]

Cheers, Pixie!