TEDDY BEAR HILL

Teddy Bear Hill
by F.X. Keenan

There's a place where raggedy old bears go
when seams are broken and stuffing flows
all over the floor in a messy pile
and the glue has failed on half of a smile
or a sad bit of thread is all that's seen
where a big button eye had proudly been
and little hands no longer cling
with love to such old and raggedy things.
***
Near a pond full of lilies shaded in birch
stands an old granite gateway shaped like an arch
and through it a pathway, worn hard and bare
from all of the feet of the bears that went there.
Amid dogwood and alder and hemlock it snakes
then straddles the cattails of Teddy Bear Lake
past a meadow of rye where the Penny Birds trill
all of the way to Teddy Bear Hill.
****
More of a mountain to a little bears eyes
that craggy colossus which climbs to the sky
with whistling winds which rustle the elms
and ominous drones from shadowy realms
gnarled grey outcrops with stark silhouettes
of the Harpy's which wait for a raggedy lot
and higher than all but the circling crows
a cloud shrouded peak of pearly white snow.
****
No blame at their worn out feet could lay
if the raggedy troop just turned away.
Instead, with the pass of an anxious lull
a puppy chewed fellow in overalls
or some battle scarred brute with scarcely an ear
and lines from a heater burned into his fur
or a silk bow-tied dandy with stapled on lips
becomes the first little bear, to take he first little step.
****
Amid steep rocky passes they amble and hobble
atop rubble and ruts they teeter and wobble
traversing the rapids of Teddy Bear Brook
evading crude crannies and sidestepping crooks
across windy rope bridges which swing to and fro
over boulder strewn valleys, far, far below
and each time a Harpy swoops in for a chance
walking sticks raise in undaunted defiance.
****
They fight every frozen flake blinding the way
and squint through the dwindling light of the day
the worst of the lot are left finally to crawl
or are carried by comrades, but the bears one and all
though thrice yet as ragged as before their ascent
further disfigured and unspeakably spent
by teamwork and grit and unbreakable will
reach, one and all, the top of that hill.
****
A thick oaken door in a cobblestone dome
opens to a stairway carved in the stone
circling and circling in a soft yellow glow
to an ancient and cavernous room below
there, in a ring the ragged group gather
and clasping their little bear paws together
begin an unusual kind of sleep
a sleep that is very, very deep.
****
Hours pass by with the caves only sound
drops from stalactites pelting the ground
As the bears dream of honey, and sunny skies
fluffy warm pillows and butterflies
little green tadpoles and waterfalls
big wool blankets and most of all
the feeling the hug of a child would bring
before they were old, and raggedy things.
****
About the last point, something strange
or even magic, who can say
afoot within the gauzy light
has brought a change within the night
It's there to see when they wake and yawn
and stretch their paws to the brand new dawn
The bears aren't like they were before
In fact, to a bear, they are ragged no more!
****
Eyes and noses lost for years
on fresh scrubbed faces now appear.
Gone the frays in felt and gingham
snares in wool and tears in denim
Engineers are back on track
in red kerchiefs and big striped hats
A kilt clad Scot surpasses bonny:
his plaid pristine and bagpipes shining
****
Heroes fly with brand new capes
little sailors now ship-shape
pristine corduroy, lustrous fur
where splotches, stains and patches were
broken zippers and splitting seams
likewise mended as they dreamed
Indeed, somehow, each ragged bear
is now quite perfect, everywhere.
****
Then from within comes a different call
and they leave that mysterious cave and hill
to highways and where the back streets wind
passing those bears still facing that climb
'stay strong', they implore 'and you'll make it too!'
and with faith, these words will indeed come true.
Yes, first comes faith, then the grit and the will
That's the best way to climb Teddy Bear Hill!
****
But how do the get to Paris and Oslo?
Braintree near Boston, and greater Toronto?
Hong Kong and Frankfurt and Kalamazoo?
No one can say, but somehow they do.
With their spirits renewed and love pulling the way
there isn't a place that's too far away
All over the world, in each city and town
they find sleeping children, and softly lay down.

The End