"Walking is a wonderful way to clear the mind,"
"Hmmm? How so? What I mean to say is what do you mean by a clear mind? Isn't a clear mind transparent and doesn't that suggest rather empty?"
"Well I suppose that is what I mean. The mind becomes empty of things it does not need".
"Oh dear! How do you know you will not need them"?
"I am talking about anxious thoughts, ones that make one nervous".
"Perhaps we should stop walking. I think you gave your nervous thoughts to me. I feel bad for them. Those anxious thoughts might feel unwanted, wandering around outside your head with no explanation as to why they have been evicted! Does it hurt when your head gets full"?
"Lamassu, no one has ever suggested my head is full, nor does it hurt. It is a simple expression. I am relaxed. Happy. But I must ask, what are you doing"?
"I am walking to the moon".
"Yes, but you are looking back and not forward. You are walking backward"!
"I am experimenting. Has anyone ever walked to the moon before? How should one do it, forward or backward, sideways or stagger-stepped? Would dancing to the moon still be the same as walking? I have to know".
"If you walk backward to the moon, you will miss the experience of seeing it for the first time, only knowing where you have been and not where you are going".
"You are wise indeed"! Moving forward is the mode for the day".
My Lamassu spins completely around. Realizing she is in the exact position she started she spins half around and with a mighty roar shouts, "Behold! We are here"!
"Of course we are here. We can't be there. We haven't gone there yet"
"You are wise beyond words. What I meant to declare is I think we have arrived at the moon"?
"How did you come to that conclusion, Lamassu"?
"Well for one, there are craters".
"That is hardly enough evidence".
"And there is this sign that reads, 'Welcome to the moon'".
Sure enough, there is a sign on a rock inscribed with a welcome.
"Well that is nice to put up a welcome sign. What if I couldn't read it"?
"If you couldn't read it I would have made the proclamation myself in a language you are familiar with...assuming you have a language".
In unison, the Lamassu and I say, "Who said that"?
"I did of course. Focus your attention down here".
About two foot tall, pocked and slightly green adorned only with a pocket watch that was tucked neatly into a crease in her jeans stood a talking stone. She was leaning slightly on the welcome sign with a craggy grin and broad, oval eyes.
"You are a rock"!
"I am olivine basalt. You may call me Olive".
"Pleased to make your acquaintance Olive. We have walked to the moon to go to the golden faire and meet the old man and perhaps find our missing flying man".
"Why didn't you just fly?"
"We wanted to try something new".
"Oh, then you have come to the right place!
The Moon was full, so she shook and shook.
And out came forth with jittery looks
Men and creatures from long lost books
Slowly, her shaking certainly waned
The Men and creatures feared again
That her shaking would return anew
So the Men flew off to the land of blue
The creatures, they wanted to leave too
But they could not decide what to do
The Moon was so tired she took her seat
She was so hungry she knew she must eat
So she decided to eat the creatures she found
The creatures then panicked and scampered around
They ran, jumped and scurried until they started to wheeze
When one came upon a grizzled old man
So ancient was he that he could not have ran
Why do you run creature, why do you wheeze?
Old man, do you know of a way to appease
The Moon, for her great hunger we can only tease
Have you tried feeding her all this green cheese?
Green cheese?
That is a myth, I had hoped for some aid
A myth can be true if well enough said
And with that his plan was well laid
He gathered a wagon and filled it with dust.
He instructed the creatures to pull it with lust
Lead the cart to the Lunar Lady and speak of it so
As a vessel of victuals of the most savory cheese known
With flavors most regal, texture to please
The Moon will accept them because she's so lean
Tell her the flavors come forth when it's green
Then slowly, then faster, leave her feasting, just shoo!
Feasting on green cheese and a tall draft of dew
Thus the Lunar Lady lunged for the morsels of cheese
And waxed full again and the creatures were pleased
They scooped up the old man and made him their king
In his honor they celebrate their golden faire fling.
We applaud Olive's song as it richly deserved.
"Olive, when can we go to the golden faire"?
"Anyone can go to the golden faire. It is not a question of when, but where.
We are on the dark side of the moon. I'm afraid there's not much to see".
"So where do we go"?
"Follow me.
You must travel between the dark side and light, to the place blended equally with both of their lights.
We must travel to Cinereo".
"I have never heard of Cinereo".
"Oh Cinereo has heard of you, I offer with certitude. It is the land of shadows. The gray world between dark and light. If you look out of the corner of your eye you will see the trail clearly marked. Do not tarry or stray from the path or you may become lost in between the places that are and are not. I do not have the time to look for you if that happens. Stay focused"!
What else could we do? My Lamassu, Olive the talking rock and I follow the path out of the corner of our eye to the land of Cinereo. Hopefully we will not be late for the golden faire. This is no longer a dream. I must see the journey through wherever it takes me. My mother would never believe this anyway.
-Cinereo-