how to tell a story

stroke the crevices

of a crumpled piece of paper

smell the dirty walls stained with living

thank the timber structures threading light

illuminating narrative, a monologue

a pause

see the story before

and the one before that

imagine a season

the smell in the air

((It's painted right there))

imagine the texture of a song

each note swinging from the eaves

rip a piece off

an entrail

place it in your pocket

pull the greasy chain of the backdrop pulley

put your full weight into it

climb the scaffolding

sand down the walls until your hands go numb

lick the dust from your wrists and sit

exhausted

centre stage

((be brave))

and speak

Part of One Stop Poetry's Picture Prompt Challenge. Photograph taken by Jacob Lucas http://live.jflphotography.com.