I wrote this little "dream" last fall just after the Deep Roots Music festival. It is based on a TRUE story. ;O)
Daisy's Dreams
It was dark, as usual. Daisy always found her time in the big, dark box peaceful and full of dreamy rainbow fantasies or quiet contemplative moments. She never got bored – didn’t really know the meaning of the word. She just knew she was happy to be in a safe dry place.
There was a jiggle. The safe, dry box was moving. Perhaps the Maker was just shifting around the storage site as she was often want to do. Suddenly, Daisy felt a major jolt to one side, then a mighty jiggle back, and then a strange lifting sensation – much like one feels when riding in that other kind of box, the metal one that moves things and people up and down to different floors. What was that called again? Telephone? Elephant? Ah yes! Elevator! But she knew she wasn’t in an elevator now. It felt more familiar than that. Her safe dry home began vibrating and there was the feeling of acceleration – the regular little jumps and jiggles of Daisy’s well-packed surroundings informed her that she was in a fast-moving machine. Cup? Cat? Car! “Right.” she thought to herself, “We’re in a car. We must be going to a festival!”
Oh how exciting! Daisy just loved festivals. As much as she loved dreaming in her safe, dry box, she loved participating in festivals even more. The car’s motion lulled her imaginary mind and, for awhile, she slid into a dozy dream of cheer and magic.
Time passed. The sudden absence of motion woke her up. After a few more bumps and jiggles and jolts and a final THUD, the moment that the box dweller had been dreaming of, blazed into reality. There was so much light, and there, THERE was the Maker smiling down at her.
“Hello Daisy” said the Maker, “Ready to face the world again?”
Daisy just smiled. She always smiled. That was how her face had been painted. Her perpetual smile made her happy. Hmmm… or was it the other way around? Perhaps her happiness made her perpetually smile. No matter, she just knew, in her wooden-pole soul, that facing the world with her smiling face was a very happy occasion indeed.
The Maker reached into the box and brought Daisy into the light and placed her on a table. At that angle, Daisy was just able to see the Maker pull out the rest of her body from the safe, dry box.
“Here comes the fun part” Daisy thought to herself. The Maker arranged Daisy’s body – a 5-foot pole draped in a pretty pink and white dress – and stood it against a wall. Then the Maker lifted Daisy’s large head from the table and placed it on top of the pole. “There now” Daisy thought. She was her 7-foot Giant Puppet self once more.
Daisy was a special Giant Puppet. The older giants required three humans to manipulate them, but Daisy only needed one. And the best part was that the Maker was often her one human! Daisy leaned against the wall and waited as the Maker and her helpers assembled the other Giant Puppets. There was Leroy and Sam and Alice and….oh! The Jester was with them today as well. How grand! Daisy smiled her paper-maché grin at her large friends spaced out along the perimeter of the room. They smiled back as a fantasy continued to unfold before them. Soon there were brightly coloured scarves, butterfly wings, beautiful bird masks, and other magical props and glittering costumes strewn around the large room in the chaotic order that only the Maker fully understood. There were big people and little people helping or learning from the Maker. No, not little people. Hmmmm… Chug boats? Chickens? What was that word again?
“Dennis!” the Maker called out “Could you help that group of children with those butterfly wings?”
Children! That’s what those little beings were called. Daisy watched the children laugh and try on costumes and practice flying.
“Watch out!” cried Dennis. He quickly shooed his group of butterflies out of the way as the Jester lurched forward alarmingly fast.
“Easy now” soothed the Maker to the Jester’s humans. “Hold the pole up straight” she told one and “wave that arm more slowly” she said to another. The Maker taught the humans how to move the Jester with the majesty that befitted his station. The Jester was the first of this Giant Puppet community and the Maker made sure his humans treated him with the respect that garnered him. The Jester gave a slow regal wave to Daisy and she knew that everything would be ok. She smiled back.
“It’s almost time to start” boomed a big man wearing an orange vest. “Time to line up!”
“A parade!” Daisy concluded. “We’re getting ready for a parade! Oh how very VERY grand!”
“Ready Daisy?” asked the Maker. Daisy smiled. The Maker fastened Daisy’s pole harness around her shoulders and waist then pulled down Daisy’s pretty pink & white dress all around her. The Maker was completely hidden under Daisy’s pretty dress. The dress was made of special lace that allowed the Maker to see the world through Daisy’s tummy. Daisy wanted to giggle in delight she was so excited.
“Here we go” boomed the man in the orange vest.
The big doors were opened and the multi-hued group of puppets and humans emerged out towards the bright sunny day. The Maker bent low to get through the door without bumping Daisy’s head. The Maker moved forward so Daisy moved forward. Daisy and the Maker liked to walk at the back of the parade so they could see everyone in front of them and also watch for straggling butterflies. A riot of colour and laughter danced down the street before them. The butterflies with graceful flowing wings joined bright beautiful fish, sparkling birds, and other charming creatures as they all fluttered, swam, flapped, and mingled their way through the town. There were people of all shapes and sizes wearing gleaming costumes of silver and gold and purple and red. There were drummers and dancers and even a friendly little dog wearing a rainbow collar. And interspersed throughout, were the stately Giant Puppets waving to the cheering crowds that had gathered along the roadside.
The parade passed by the Farmers’ Market and the Giants could hear entrancing music coming from the stage. The Maker began to dance, so Daisy began to dance. The Maker twirled, so Daisy twirled. Sam and Alice clapped their large hands in time to the music and Leroy did a giant jig. The Jester moved majestically through the crowd and Daisy smiled and smiled.
Eventually it was time to go back. The swirling mass of puppets and people, almost floating on the joy they had created, drifted back towards the big building where it all began. The Giant Puppets all bent low to get back into the door. The humans, big and small, took off their bright costume pieces and began to pack the bits of enchantment away.
The Maker unharnessed herself from Daisy and came out from under the pretty pink & white dress. “Now wasn’t that fun” said the Maker to Daisy. Daisy couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, she was so happy. Happy and tired - what a big day it had been. The Maker reached up and carefully removed Daisy’s head from her pole and placed it on the table once again. As the humans packed away the other puppets and costumes, Daisy quietly watched the Maker carefully prepare Daisy’s storage box - placing her pole, dress, and large hands inside. Finally the Maker lifted Daisy’s head from the table and laid it in the cozy darkness.
“Great job today Daisy” whispered the Maker. “Sleep well my friend”.
“Good work.” thought Daisy sleepily. No, that wasn’t it. “Good news?” She was so tired she didn’t think she would remember… wait! “Good NIGHT” she thought with a drowsy smile. The Maker grinned down at the large smiling face and placed the lid back on the storage crate. The puppet welcomed the dark and fell back into a relaxed meditation of the magic, colours, wishes, and things that made up the stuff of Daisy’s dreams.
- Written by Donna Holmes, Sept 27, 2010.
