HALF MAN, HALF MACHINE

This story I will tell you long ago began
With a thing half machine and also half man.
Instead of an eye he had a scope that was dull
And a dirty glass dome in place of a skull.
His chest opened up with a key and a lock
And his heart was made from an old pocket clock.

Gears and jears whirled in his head
As he awoke from his dank, muddy, wet bed.
He'd been alive for a week and a day
And his body ached with no cushions to lay.
But he cared not for the rain or the snow
For there was only one answer he wished to know.

What was he like, by whom was he made?
He wanted to know where he had stayed.
And so, on that day he made a long plan
To go and see that great mystery man.

He had no burdens, nor passions to carry
So he set out on a road in a state of chronic weary.
Once on the road he met a small boy
And in his hands was a broken mechanical toy.
The half-man took the object from the small child
And told the boy to wait a little while.
He unlocked his chest, took a cog from his heart
And put it in place of the small, missing part.
He spun the little wheel and alive the toy sprung
And white smoke puffed out as a clear bell sung.
The boy said thank you and went on his way.
He ran on down the road without another word to say.

And so the man walked away, the first time full of glee
And wondered once again who his creator could be.
Off on down the road, he came to a small town
And on the face of every man was a grim frown.
They looked at his face and told him to get out of sight.
They beat and burned him as he ran into the night.
The half-man ran away alone and ashamed
Feeling that he was the one to be blamed.

He avoided any town after that fateful day
In his mind it was the best and only way.
Soon on the road he found a bright colored box
He waited and waited, then decided to knock.
But there was no need for out of it popped
A dirt-colored man with a hat on his top.
He said, "Please Sir, come see a wonderful thing,
A puppet who dances without one single string."
Inside the box stood a small wooden boy
It jerked and it fell with a fair bit of noise.
The carnie cursed and shouted to the sky
But the half-man simply walked up to the little guy.
He listened intently for what the thing could use,
Then he reached into his head and pulled out a fuse.
Once the half-man fixed the small wooden bot,
It danced and sang, and even did a little trot.

The half-man did not wait for thanks or for praise,
He simply continued into the thick grey haze.
After a week of sad, bleak travel
He came to what looked like a huge black castle.
He hopped the wall with the simplest of ease
Then clutched his stomach which had begun to quease.
The door was locked but that was no matter,
For the side window was quite easy to shatter.

All along the walls were portraits of a man
With grey hair and a pale ghost's tan.
Aside the portraits were brilliant big plans
For half a machine and half a man.
Assured this was the house, the man wandered with glee
His mind racing with thoughts of where his father could be.
For the last place he looked, at the top of the tower,
He had to break the lock and climb a tall ladder.

Once inside, he erupted with joy for there was the person he'd wanted to meet for so long.
But wait, something was odd, something was wrong.
He lied hunched over, his hair out of place
And dried streams of tears were streaked on his face.
The half-man listened close to find the faulty part
He heard no beating, he heard no heart.
So he opened his chest and pulled out his clock,
But his father's chest wouldn't open, it was permanently locked.
For the first time in his life, tears fell on his face
As he touched his father's skin, as soft as thick lace.

Now truly alone, the half-man laid on the streets,
Listening to the clock's slow, mocking beat.
He was awakened by crying and soft footsteps
He looked at a girl, the one who had wept.
She had a covering of hair the color of gold
And a face that as taken from an angelic mold.
She said, "Please Sir, do you have a clock? I mustn't be late for the train."
The half-man got up to guard her from the rain.
There was something about her, maybe her way,
That made him think with her he should stay.

So out of love for her, so pretty and smart,
He unlocked his chest and gave her his heart.
The girl said thank you and around his waist squeezed,
While a look spread over him, pleased and serene,

The child waved to him and looked back as she ran.
A wave of warmth spread over the man,
So he went to the house, huddled next to his father,
And with a smile on his face, they passed on together.

THE END.