Old Soul, Young Heart

I have the old soul

of Sophie 

and the young heart

of Shizuku.

Most days,

I want to sit in 

my favorite rocking chair

bask in golden sunlight

and eat a warm meal

blessed by Calcifer’s flames.

Breakfast is my favorite 

because Calcifer 

munches eggshells 

like peanuts

but gently kisses the sausage.

Some days,

I crave adventure 

seeking stories that 

paint my imagination 

in watercolor rainbows.

The pages of books

magnify my eyes

but sometimes 

reading isn’t enough.

My pen is a siren

calling to me

begging me 

to drown myself 

in an ocean of words.

Instead I use

a blank page

as a boat,

my mind 

as a sail,

and my pen

as a rudder.

Music is the wind

that propels me onwards.

In a new land,

I meet “The Baron”,

a dapper cat

with a top hat.

He bows

guides me through 

winding streets 

paved with

twinkling diamonds.

Then his eyes 

shine with moonlight 

as we head underground.

Suddenly 

a rock erupts

from my chest

magma hot

purple amethyst.

The Baron says,

“This is your heart.

Hear its whisper 

and tell your story.”

I return home

and write these words

as Calcifer crackles

and smiles.


Latonya Pennington is a poet from Troy, AL. Their poetry has been previously published at the publications Into The Spine, The Aze Journal, and Fiyah Lit magazine, among others. When they aren’t writing, they are probably playing video games, reading, or streaming shows & movies.

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