Neverland is saved again

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Thank you so much for reading School of Blue this past year. Hope ‘26 is good to you. - richard

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Red morning sky, stained glass light 
at the kitchen window. We imagine 
a birth, a baby yelling, mom and dad 
poked by hay straw. Donkey bums 
shuffle to give them more room.

Of wonder, of earth and sea, of fire - 
living, feeling of sensations.

Here we suffer grief and pain 
and next door they do the same.

Acupuncture of words press skin, bring 
relief  - it is a kindness really 

    in a world where 
    bad actors and mad kings 
    serve up venom 
    to egg up their egos.

This week we jump out of loops, 
of headlines - a brainwash really, 
a twist of the arms to force 
the collective to think miserably, 
to swim in their bile.

At the Panto, patrons in front of us 
check football scores. Their attention 
in puddles of muddle, unable to enjoy 
the now that, to us, feels like an escape 
from everything around us. Light relief, 
of joy, of the moment - and Neverland 
is saved again.