The Tin Man

Inspired by "Heartless", the story of the Tin Man. PLEASE Watch this! It's worth it, especially the ending will really hit you. I promise, it's worth your time. If you don't have time to watch the whole thing, start at 9 minutes 30 seconds.  

"This may be beyond my ability

to repair..." You look into the

mechanic's eyes; seas unsettled by
the tossing and turning of concern,
pleading, yet still knowing his tin refining 
cannot fix this part. You did not know 
your axe was cursed. It cut you down,
each time the mechanic treated flesh 
with tin. But now...you have no heart.

You forget why you are working.
You leave your wake of fallen trees, 
logs pile over an abandoned cabin---
the home is left unfinished. She's there. 
She's waiting, still wanting, still loving 
the man in the metal coat. To touch 
is coldness, painful. How can she kiss 
iron gates barred shut? Forgotten, she 
moves on through the forest of fallen trees.

The latch is shut. The empty hollow never 
waits. You cannot feel the rain run down 
your face, or hear your tin bones gnashing, 
groaning, vibrating through the leaves. 
Finally, the rust holds you. There is no 
reaching for the oil can by your side. 
Rigid, lost within this steel casket, 
time forgets you, silences your existence, 
wanes your life away.

Now motionless, her memories
sing to you. As you stand, eyes
yielding up, feet rooted in the ground.
All you see is a forest of trees fallen,
rotting away like the memory of you.
You remember your beloved as you
notice the vines crawl from the earth
and wrap their veiny fingers around
your legs, your arms, your neck.


You wait and listen for the rhythm.
This hole in your chest moans in ways 
no words could hope to manifest. 
But what of the story?
Is this the fate of the man of tin? 
What of the little red shoes? 
What of the yellow brick road? 
Take heart my friend,
take heart.    

--
{dm}