broken bell (pegasus)

all the children know
about the bell upon the hill
they say it sings a sour note
until true love returns

the adults in the village
of course do not believe
after all, it's just a story
incomplete and unspecific
it's nothing like the truth

there was a little girl
who never spoke a word
every morning just before dawn
she went up to the hill
she laid her hands upon the bell
and watched the sun rise in its surface
when at last the bell was warm
she'd smile and pat its belly
and walk happy back to town

one morning brought a change
after a night of heavy rain
she found a man asleep beneath
the shelter of the bell
she watched him for a while
he had a long and fitful dream
then woke up with a start
he saw the girl and rubbed his eyes
and she blinked back at him

any other would have bolted
the man was widely known
as a libertine and thief
with gypsy music in his blood
he was clearly worse for wear
from a night of drunken excess
his clothing was a shambles
face unshaven, hair unkempt
mouth pinkened with someone's lipstick

the young girl was transfixed
with compassion not with fear
she found him inexpressibly beautiful
and did not wish to look away

the man was silent and enraptured
held by something in her eyes
and then to his complete surprise
began uncontrollably to weep
his tears at first a burning spring
then a river of release
then at last a sea of joy
never breaking with her gentle gaze

she took his hands
and placed them on the bell
and gently kissed his forehead
and pointed at the newborn sun
she took the chord
and rang the bell
its vibration shook the raindrops
they ran together down its back
and over his dirty fingers
and together
they watched the sunrise