The Other Side

My child, a baptism took place when you jumped into the river for my sake—Ringo Bing Just like her favorite character Alice she dresses A young girl named Cassy sits bored by a riverbank She looks into reflecting waters twirling her long tresses A giant ladybug hanging onto a twig, has fallen and sank Cassy jumps in, pulls with all her might on its wing The ladybug's wing tears from all the water it drank Swept up, she is thrown onto the ladybug with a fling Flown far from the river, the ladybug thanks her for saving him I’ll call you my young fair Alice, and you can call me Ringo Bing Cassy admits to the current identity crisis she is in, one of seven Ringo struck, by her inability to remember a poem of Alice’s adventures He offers her a key and whispers, fits a door to the other side, heaven Blurry swishes of gardens and trees, Ringo lands, fixes his wing and dentures The door! In a panic realizes the key is lost, the one she’s clung to forever Wormholes, galaxies, beaming showers, black holes, she now censures Never needing the key at all the picture is clear, she sees stars of silver The key a crutch, has held her back from the flow of the river