Forty five years ago, I came across the most beautiful art ever
I was researching other things that I can’t seem to now recall
When, suddenly, I stumbled upon unique creations scattered
All around a quiet part of this little nook that I ventured into
Sculptures designed with such great detail and obvious care
I couldn’t believe no one else knew these designs existed here
That these figures were not as widely known as they should be
And to figure out why, I knew I had to track down their creator
As good of a researcher was I, it wasn’t easy tracking them down
I searched far and wide, and asked a few people, for this person
Until one day I came across a house high up on among some hills
It was a winding road that led to it with no other houses nearby
Something told me that I had to venture up to investigate this place
As I approached closer, I noticed the weather grew cooler here
The trees blowing back and forth as I drew up to the iron gates
The house was rather old and not kept up as it may have once been
I rang the bell and knocked on the door, but no one answered
So I had a choice of either going back home or going forward
My stubbornness led me to carry onward, and I’m glad I did
I barged inside the house to find it oddly quiet up close
Yet, from afar, I could hear music playing in one of the back rooms
Walking towards the sound, I saw more sculptures around
Each of different beings and things that I couldn’t interpret
Finally through the door, there stood a man carving away
Creating what seemed to look like some sort of beast this time
He was very startled at my presence being inside his home
After much explaining about myself and my interest, he eased
Not by much, as he still held up an air of mysteriousness
One that would never truly go away as I look back on it now
But he slowly let me into his creative mind and explained things
How long it took to create these sculptures and what the process was
How he first began to create them and why he hides them around
He told me he doesn’t hide them, they just haven’t been found yet
This sculptor seemed to be sociable, or at least once very talkative
However, he now resides in this house all by himself working
I didn’t mind knowing the sculptor, yet I wanted to know the man
The one behind the artwork that he makes and doesn’t share
I tried to ask more about where his family was or his friends
His response was silence as he wouldn’t share those details, though
I laid off asking about those for a while, until I had an idea for this
I’d come by the house every so often to the point he trusts me
Allowing me to venture around his house to look at more of his art
One day I decided to try and find his personal room for answers
And I found it tucked in the far back area of the huge, old house
There were a few photos of his family, but when he was little
I continued searching around the room, coming to the closet
It was there at the bottom, in the dark, where I found the box
Inside was piles of photos of his childhood and early adulthood
More photos of family and friends he spent time with laughing
I couldn’t help but wonder why he now lives in isolation here
At that moment of wonder, he caught me by surprise in anger
I’ll admit I was in the wrong to snoop, but I had to know it
Some things never get accomplished by just staying put
This was a gifted, good man that was wrongfully hidden
The world had to meet him, and I wanted to know him
Naturally, his anger led to me getting kicked out that day
I didn’t go by the house for several weeks which was tough
Until one day, close to the hills, I saw a sculpture laying around
To me, I saw it as a chance to try once more to go back up there
Surprisingly, he answered the door when I rang the bell
Perhaps he, too, may have missed the company as he let me in
After I apologized, once more, he surprised me again by talking
He spoke about his family and friends, and what happened
How his family, one by one, passed away early and tragically
Of his friends, who moved away or simply stopped connecting
He admits that he got along well with most people in general
But that he could never really click with anyone to fully trust
And so those relationships were always stuck on the surface
He spoke of a few others who tried to scratch to a deeper level
I could see the care and pain on his face speaking about them
As if he had wished things would’ve gone differently in his life
Eventually, he gave up on the world and closed himself to his
Focusing only on creating his sculptures that he was so good at
Building these things over time that highlighted a part of him
Like him, can only be seen several ways on the outside perspective
But on the inside, is filled with only one meaning that which he knows
He gave me a tour of his gallery of sculptures and spoke of each
First asking me for my interpretation before giving me the truth
Although I don’t think he spoke the whole truth about them
I wouldn’t blame him if he kept a piece of it only to himself
Because no matter the inspiration, a part of him was also inside
In the several weeks together, since, we’ve gotten closer
I even managed to crack some good smiles out of him a few times
We spent time exploring the grounds of his property day and night
What once was admiration for the sculptor and his artwork
Soon turned into attraction for the man behind the sculpting
He inspired me to lay down and look up at the stars, again, at night
To not fret if it’s snowing outside, rather to go out and dance in it
And to not be afraid to open my eyes and see the world anew each day
Then one day he surprised me once more with another sculpture
Except it looked oddly familiar, it couldn’t have been me I thought
Only it was, in fact, me that he had sculpted in the cold, ice block
This was the biggest act of care I’ve seen from him since we met
It was his own way of saying he enjoyed my company as well
A part of me thought about telling him how I felt about all of it
I even began to imagine what life might’ve been like together
Over the next few weeks, I think he began thinking of that too
But it wasn’t in the way that I had hoped he would think of it
While I had hoped to maybe pull him out from the shadows
And showcase his art, vision and beauty to the rest of the world
While he encouraged me to try new things and take chances
He had already committed to the life that was set before him
Having lost so much and been through many things before me
There was content in this quiet life in his house up on the hills
And he knew that this life wouldn’t have been suitable to me
That the world has yet to fully get to know me and my dreams
Raising a family alone up here wouldn’t have been ideal either
All of it, and more, he thought about and realized it for me
Then one day, he told me that I should go and never come back
It hurt so much to hear him say this but a part of me expected it
Knowing the chances for success were slim but still hoping the best
He walked me down from his house back to the gates towards my car
He thanked me for everything and said he would never forget about me
And it was at the gates we shared one slow dance out there in the snow
Afterwards, I hugged and told him that I loved him as he closed his eyes
As if all he ever wanted was to hear someone tell him those three words
It was the first and last time we ever touched, and I still remember it
Many years would go by, and I ended up moving away to a new town
I ended up having the life that I wanted, including you my grandchild
Of course, there have been times that I wanted to reach out to him
To hear his voice and see his new works of art one more time
But I knew I shouldn’t, even if in my heart I wanted to so much
I want him to keep remembering me the way that he has been doing
Even though life had moved on for me, and I had a loving family
I wish I could tell him that I have never forgotten about him
I can see the snow falling outside as you ask me if he is still alive
I’m sure if he’s still alive that he’s somewhere up in his house
Alone, way up on the hill where the Light rises to touch it first
Working away on another of his creations that he so loved doing
Surrounded by his other sculptures including my own ice figure
While I wonder like the others before me, and possibly after me
If he was able find someone to keep him company and be happy
If, after all this time, he ever finally found his one true muse. . .
Novatourist 