This poem is based upon Tennyson’s poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’
The King of Neverland by Jenny Ann
The King of Neverland by Jenny Ann
Part 1
Between the mountains of gold and green
Lies a valley of hope unseen,
A place of longing, escape and dream;
And round the park a train of steam
Puffs merrily around Foreverland.
Amongst the trees the children play,
Sparkling and gleaming their faces gay
Eyes filled with wonder they seem to pray
To stay at Neverland.
Around the flowers the humming bees
Rise and fall upon the breeze
Listening to music blow through the trees,
A moment only time can freeze
In beautiful Foreverland;
A monument to Peter Pan
A tribute to each adoring fan
Hoping to glimpse, if they possibly can,
The King of Neverland
A painted carousel of colours bright
Spins faster still to much delight;
The pirate ship may even fright
As it swoops to earth with all its might
Down towards Foreverland;
But who has seen him dance on stage?
Or gazed in wonder as they turn each page?
Why do we keep him locked up in this cage
The King of Neverland?
Only angels way up high
Dancing in the evening sky
Listen to his heartfelt cry.
He gazes as the stars fall by
Over his Foreverland.
Dark figures loom outside the gate,
Hovering in the shadows late,
Silently, they lie in wait
Outside those walls of Neverland.
Lies a valley of hope unseen,
A place of longing, escape and dream;
And round the park a train of steam
Puffs merrily around Foreverland.
Amongst the trees the children play,
Sparkling and gleaming their faces gay
Eyes filled with wonder they seem to pray
To stay at Neverland.
Around the flowers the humming bees
Rise and fall upon the breeze
Listening to music blow through the trees,
A moment only time can freeze
In beautiful Foreverland;
A monument to Peter Pan
A tribute to each adoring fan
Hoping to glimpse, if they possibly can,
The King of Neverland
A painted carousel of colours bright
Spins faster still to much delight;
The pirate ship may even fright
As it swoops to earth with all its might
Down towards Foreverland;
But who has seen him dance on stage?
Or gazed in wonder as they turn each page?
Why do we keep him locked up in this cage
The King of Neverland?
Only angels way up high
Dancing in the evening sky
Listen to his heartfelt cry.
He gazes as the stars fall by
Over his Foreverland.
Dark figures loom outside the gate,
Hovering in the shadows late,
Silently, they lie in wait
Outside those walls of Neverland.
Part 2
There he sits in the giving tree
Its gentle embrace sets him free
Lifting his spirit steadily
Forgetting he feels quite lonely
As he looks upon Foreverland
He wonders what lies in the shadow
And in his mind the lyrics grow
Giving voice to what he longs to know
The world outside of Neverland
He looks at the man in the mirror there
And sees reflections of a world that’s bare
And wonders why few seem to care
And through his songs he longs to share
His dreams of a Foreverland
And there the world’s a happy place
All children bear a smiling face
And love and hope and faith and grace
Are the stuff of Neverland
Sometimes he dreams of having wings
Of romance, love and other things
Sometimes his spirit soars and brings
Him closer to the truth and he sings
Joyously to his Foreverland
And sometimes in his mirror clear
He starts at one who seems too near
And he sees a man stare back in fear
The King of Neverland.
Still, through his songs his soul he bares
For all to see and hear his prayers.
The dreams are there for he who dares
To rise above the critical stares
Of those who peer into his Foreverland.
Ridiculed by the ones who mock
He covers his eyes and hides his shock
And cries, ‘Please, it’s hurting. Stop!’
The King of Neverland.
Its gentle embrace sets him free
Lifting his spirit steadily
Forgetting he feels quite lonely
As he looks upon Foreverland
He wonders what lies in the shadow
And in his mind the lyrics grow
Giving voice to what he longs to know
The world outside of Neverland
He looks at the man in the mirror there
And sees reflections of a world that’s bare
And wonders why few seem to care
And through his songs he longs to share
His dreams of a Foreverland
And there the world’s a happy place
All children bear a smiling face
And love and hope and faith and grace
Are the stuff of Neverland
Sometimes he dreams of having wings
Of romance, love and other things
Sometimes his spirit soars and brings
Him closer to the truth and he sings
Joyously to his Foreverland
And sometimes in his mirror clear
He starts at one who seems too near
And he sees a man stare back in fear
The King of Neverland.
Still, through his songs his soul he bares
For all to see and hear his prayers.
The dreams are there for he who dares
To rise above the critical stares
Of those who peer into his Foreverland.
Ridiculed by the ones who mock
He covers his eyes and hides his shock
And cries, ‘Please, it’s hurting. Stop!’
The King of Neverland.
Part 3
And men wage war, bear arms and kill
Whilst women labour in unclean places still
Politicians always have promises to fulfil
With words and image they tease and thrill
And forget the place Foreverland.
And with anger and rage he dances hard
And shatters the glass till every shard
Of his mirror pierces the soul of those outside who guard
The walls of Neverland.
And each performance reaches even higher,
An open soul, eyes filled with fire
And all our eyes, as one, admire;
In each glittering sparkle of his attire
We can see Foreverland:
His music lifts us out of our despair,
His soulful cry cuts through a voice so rare,
He gives away everything without a care
Our King of Neverland.
The shining star of each generation
Revered in each and every nation
Speechless and wild in our elation
We lose ourselves in his imagination
It reaches far beyond Foreverland.
Like a lost boy found he sparkles bright
And returns our love with all his might
It glitters like a meteorite as night
Falls over Neverland.
Beware the predators with flashing eyes
Blood thirsty they pursue their prize
Never content until somebody dies
They sneer and snarl as he desperately tries
To protect his dream Foreverland
With sticks they goad and call him till
They think they have finally broken his will
And then the savages will feast and fill
Upon the King of Neverland.
Blood has been spilt; it’s on the floor
And still he’ll dance and scream, “What more
Lies can one broken man live to endure?"
But we’ll cover our ears then close the door
To silent, ghostly Foreverland.
With fingers in dirt he’ll solemnly kneel
Praying the world will eventually heal
Our minds full of lies we forget what’s real:
Lost we abandon Neverland.
Whilst women labour in unclean places still
Politicians always have promises to fulfil
With words and image they tease and thrill
And forget the place Foreverland.
And with anger and rage he dances hard
And shatters the glass till every shard
Of his mirror pierces the soul of those outside who guard
The walls of Neverland.
And each performance reaches even higher,
An open soul, eyes filled with fire
And all our eyes, as one, admire;
In each glittering sparkle of his attire
We can see Foreverland:
His music lifts us out of our despair,
His soulful cry cuts through a voice so rare,
He gives away everything without a care
Our King of Neverland.
The shining star of each generation
Revered in each and every nation
Speechless and wild in our elation
We lose ourselves in his imagination
It reaches far beyond Foreverland.
Like a lost boy found he sparkles bright
And returns our love with all his might
It glitters like a meteorite as night
Falls over Neverland.
Beware the predators with flashing eyes
Blood thirsty they pursue their prize
Never content until somebody dies
They sneer and snarl as he desperately tries
To protect his dream Foreverland
With sticks they goad and call him till
They think they have finally broken his will
And then the savages will feast and fill
Upon the King of Neverland.
Blood has been spilt; it’s on the floor
And still he’ll dance and scream, “What more
Lies can one broken man live to endure?"
But we’ll cover our ears then close the door
To silent, ghostly Foreverland.
With fingers in dirt he’ll solemnly kneel
Praying the world will eventually heal
Our minds full of lies we forget what’s real:
Lost we abandon Neverland.
©2010 by Jenny Ann and PJWN, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All photographs, place names, and proper names are used in a fictional manner and are copyright their creators. This work may not be reproduced, transmitted, copied, or stored without express written permission from PJWN, LLC.