The Market Place Poem by Jonathan Drane

I was once a china man
I was once a thief
I sailed here on the summer wind
And held the cutlass sheath

I was once an ugly man
I was once a priest
I held the monkey's tiny hands
And made the laughter feast

I was in the dark time wars
I held the swords and spears
I drove the metal into hearts
And felt the kitten’s tears

I was once a beggar girl
I was once a hag
I stole then from the richest men
And lived in wrotten rags

I was once from India
I was once from Spain
My face was lined with fear and light
I drank the spring time rain

I once watched the troubled child
I watched him pinned to wood
I felt his heart, I felt his soul
I ran away for good

I once held the throne of Queen
I wept from gutter place
I ruled the countries in the stream
And drooled upon my face

I once felt the rocking sea
A captain in the wind
I once shrunk to lowest depths
And called the sea gull in

I was once a cripple boy
I was once a King
I knew the rulings of the land
And crawled upon its skin

I stand here in the market place
And see myself go by
China man and little girl
I feel the spirit sigh

I stand here in the market place
And see the endless time
I see the faces of the past
I see the face of mine

I was once a china man
I was once a thief
I sailed here on the summer wind
And held the cutlass sheath