The Butterfly Curtain - Evangeline Valette

[Boots]

[A small leatherbound, dark blue journal- the image of a songbird etched on it's cover.]

Property of

[Inside the covers of this book, Evangeline's scrawling hand writing covers most of the pages.]

[Boots]

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.

They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.

There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,

But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

[Boots]

She dreads the sun's light.
She dreads the coming day.
To leave the place I long to stay.

She asks for no redemption, I ask for nothing in return.
A fool like me does not deserve to yearn.

My crossroad is clear, but which path do I choose?
No longer am I a pauper with nothing to lose.

[Boots]

My dreams are plagued with visions.
Only time can heal these wounds-

Yet the comfort of others reminds me,
That I could see you soon.

Far away you went, with a promise and a kiss;
To leave behind a lonely heart,
Content in wedded bliss.

[A tiny note is scribbled at the bottom of the page.]

I miss you, my love.
I pray you watch over them.
They are lost without you, as I am.