Maili Jordan A Courtyard
A Courtyard . The four walls . The four windows . The sky a newborn-blue square . Every new season framed for viewing . The ground a wipeable cobble stone . Stone is the purest substance . Earth in one simple shape . Contained . Conjoined . Clean . The square is the shape that offers unity with separation . The shape that offers individuality with conformity . Four separate sides . One shape . Four equal sides . We prioritise equality . There is no grass here . It could grow , but we don ’ t want it to .
Your face appears at a window . Thin white skin , unblemished and blushed with warmth ; veins like distant streams ; breath misting little continents that bulge and dissipate on the glass . A breeze turns into a whistle into a scream . Tea ’ s ready . This is a lovely little world : the driftwood counters with their sea-scent , because you wanted to know what the beach smelt like ; sandstone floors , because you were curious about the desert ; and the wide marble ceilings , because you saw the Greek temples in the Arts book and you liked them . You rest a finger on the light up globe in the centre of your massive living space . It spins and it spins and it spins and it spins , freckling galaxies across the room , printing stars onto the marble above . This is your whole world . Yours . And yours alone . There are three other worlds , too , across the Courtyard . Each wall a different life , with a whole new world enclosed . To the Left , to the Right , Directly In Front Of You . You grew up in these wide walls . The rooms became soft arms around you . A Place Of Exploration . A Place Of Reading , knowledge that they gave you to know . A Place Of Thinking , thoughts they gave you so that you could think . A Place Of Safety . A world they gave you so that you could exist and flourish . Here you are known . Here you are safe to thrive .
When you turned eighteen you were the best of yourself . You were full in body and mind , and you could get into any room you wanted , and each new room had a bit more stuff in it than the last . You had everything . What more could you need ? What ’ s left to want ? You have never longed for something . You have never missed something . You have never left . Of all the worlds , Directly In Front Of You is your favourite . You like the way the blue square reflects on the raindrops of their window and how the raindrops catch little bits of their face as if saving them for later . You like the way the blue square and the light glisten on the mug as they lift it to their lips . You like this . Did they smile ? Did they see you ?
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