Library Of The Laughing Book

Library Of The Laughing Book
© Surazeus
2026 08 23

To paint the color of soft river sand 
with simple sorrow of the happy girl 
who loves to dance among the apple trees, 
she asks Icarus with butterfly voice 
if he will teach her body how to fly, 
but his open mouth shimmers ocean full. 

Strange gleam of sunlight on the asphalt street 
reveals true nature of gossamer thoughts 
which veil her body on lawn of wet grass 
before library of the laughing book 
which records in writhing runes of the real 
sad tale of every soul who ever lived. 

Before Tara can escape the empty church, 
the vampire disguised as priest in black robe 
traps her spirit as the white butterfly 
who flutters desperately in the glass jar 
which Joshua taps when he visits at dusk 
when he searches for how she disappeared. 

Grinning at clever joke the vampire priest 
tells to hypnotize him with snake eyes, 
Joshua pulls hat low over his pale face 
and fillips river stone that cracks the jar 
just as the priest shrieks in terrible rage 
so she flies away as he dodges claws. 

Holding hands with firm compassion of trust, 
Tara and Joshua run over the field 
among cows of melancholy desire 
while the priest transforms into thirsty bat 
that chases them when clouds hide the bright moon 
till they hide in her cave on the lake shore. 

Clutching oak wand he carved into sharp point, 
Joshua gazes in eyes of Tara, green 
as thick moss on the river stone of faith, 
then lunges at dark shadow of despair 
to stab the priest straight through his rotten heart, 
who writhes and shrieks till his soul dissipates. 

Digging behind the church in morning light, 
dozens of grim villagers excavate 
unmarked graves of young girls who disappeared, 
kidnapped and abused by the smiling priest, 
whose rotten body on the grass decays, 
and mothers weep over skulls of their daughters. 

Time reveals color of soft river sand 
when rainbows shimmer over wind-blown woods 
so Tara calls her children to come in 
who hop and flap their arms like Icarus, 
then gather at the table of calm faith 
to eat sandwiches and drink apple juice.