[SE] I Saw Three Ships

Lena

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul

Mittens, now bored with its bauble project, let the shiny artifact sit on its head as Lena finished up. The inquiry surprised her, however, given the state of things some moments before. Perhaps the captain of this vessel was a mercurial sort, and all the tempestuous edges combined meant no one would ever truly read her. Had she said she’d wanted company, the Caretaker might have understood her more – it was easy to feel isolated and distraught nowadays, with so many commotions, chaos, and unravelings brewing in all directions. “I can stay a little while,” she offered instead. “Then I should be heading back.” Without any information gathered; save for a mutual respect of another stranger’s temper.

and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all