There was once a boy
Living alone in a cottage;
Lit by candles and oil lamps
In mind a dream and a plan.
There was once a boy,
A lock and key in hand;
He left his home one day,
Went looking for adventure.
There was once a boy
A backpack on his shoulder,
A map in his hand
All roads were deserted.
There was once a boy,
Wandering through ages
He went back to moments that
He couldn’t help but regret.
There was once a boy
He was lonely and had no home
There was once a boy
He had no one to call.
There was once a boy
Who tore his heart from his chest
He didn’t need it when
The troubles of night came.
There was once a boy
He wasn’t scared of monsters;
He fought through the night
And walked after dusk.
There was once a boy
He walked after midnight;
He walked after dawn
He walked when the clock chimed twelve.
There was once a boy
Walking and collecting papers;
Old and torn and tarnished
Telling fake legends.
There was once a boy
He was running for adventure
He was looking for a place
Where he could stop running someday.
There was once a boy
He was betrayed but he didn’t care
He wasn’t scared of the dark;
He wasn’t scared of anything.
There was once a boy
Who had heard of this legend
Of a man who crossed the sky
Collecting memories.
There was once a boy
Who went looking for a remedy;
For his heart was broken,
He’d stashed it in a backpack.
There was once a boy
Who kept walking and walking
And the sunset didn’t kneel
Before his yellow eyes.
Foremost and at last
There was a boy who found someone,
But he had lost his map
Along the crooked path.
There was once a boy
He was angry and sad
He didn’t care for emotions
He tore out his heart.
But it was already torn
So he tore it into pieces
He went looking for trouble
He was looking for revenge.
There was once a boy
Who didn’t listen to the wind;
He plummeted into storm
He cut off his wings.
There was once a boy
In his backpack he had some feathers
Though light as it was,
He took after a legend.
There was once a boy
Who never glanced at the clock
He ran after hearts
He tore them out of hope.
There was once a boy
A lonely boy that he was;
He tried to come back home
To an empty cottage.
He didn’t look at the time
But he saw it was lost
He understood what he’s done
He could believe the cost.
There was once a boy,
He didn’t care anymore
He was dragging his legs
He tore out his veins.
There was once a boy
Who went looking for adventure
Adventure was lost on him
As was the man in the sky.
There was once a boy
Who tried to rob a grave;
He fell into dust
He cut off his hands.
There was once a boy
His backpack was getting dirty
He was tired of running
He was looking for rest.
There was once a boy
Who wasn’t scared of the dark;
He’d left all the candles in a cottage
That didn’t need to exist anymore.
There was once a boy
Who’d swore himself a promise
He was never to dread
The falling of dark.
There was once a boy
With a dream and a plan
He stashed them in his backpack
He had lost his path.
There was once a boy
Who couldn’t carry the bag that he had;
A thousand hearts he’d stashed there
Of cowards that stood back.
He was tired and lonely
He had no place to go
So he went to everywhere and nowhere
He’d forgotten of words.
There was once a boy
He broke all of his watches
He was looking for solace
He was crying for help.
A promise had once pulsed through his veins
He had no blood to dry away;
Someone shoved his head in a fountain
He was soaking cold and wet.
There was once a boy
He sat down at the side of the road
He looked up at the stars
Saw a shadow of a ghost.
He looked down at the ground
Saw the blossom of betrayal,
He closed his eyes at last
He saw the beating of his heart.
He shook away the feelings
They had no right to knock
He didn’t even have a heart anymore.
There was once a boy
Ten thousand hearts in his bag
And a pair of wings,
And a set of veins,
And two broken hands.
There was once a boy
He had lost his dream and his plan
He held pride in the fact
That he didn’t fear the dark.
The darkness feared him
The monsters stepped away
He held no home in his eyes
They were closed off to pain.
He went looking for danger
He went looking for redemption
He found the way of vengeance
He tore out people’s hearts.
But he couldn’t find him
The one who broke his heart
He couldn’t find him
The boy who feared the dark;
He couldn’t find him
The boy who wearied danger
He couldn’t find him
The boy that was a legend.
There was once a boy
He’d had but one friend
He didn’t have any friends anymore.
*
There was once a boy
Who kneeled before the sun
The backpack slipped from his shoulder
He’d lost all ten thousand hearts.
There was once a boy
Who had a promise in his heart
He had a dream and a plan
He used to live in a cottage.
There was once a boy
Who was lonely when the darkness came;
He had but one memory
That began to fade away.
Above him stood a man
A legend to all ears;
He pitied the boy
Who’d slaughtered the years.
And as the man looked at his watch
He counted down to zero
Then the time came to a stop
And the boy had looked away.
And then finally
That man taught him of pardon
But pardon was walking
Down another way.
There was once a boy;
Who couldn’t understand
Until finally he realized
Why he was afraid.
He had no shame to bear
It was all stashed in his backpack;
He was left to weep for his crimes
That he should’ve foretold.
There was once a boy
Who learned how to fear
The darkness that was coming
The clock had no tears.
Ten Thousand Hearts © Michal Rotko
