Ever After

"Ever after."
The wise one said.
"But that's just the beginning."
Protested the young one.
The wise one just noddd
And entered some lost trance.
"Ever after. Long ago. Far away. A story."
The wise one muttered,
His mind full of stories long past and forgotten.
The young one looked on in amazement.
"But-" the young one said.
The wise one held up his hand.
"You can dream. You can escape."
The wise one paused for a moment.
"You can believe. You can soar."
All at once, the young one saw
What the old one did
The young one said,
"You can defy. You can rebel."
To which the wise one replied,
"You can desire."
"You can promise."
"You can feel."
"You can overcome."
"You can overcome."
The last line seemed to echo
Through the musty room full of ancient books.
"Ever after."
Said the young one.
"Is just the beginning."
They both awoke from their dream-like trance.
"I understand now."
Said the young one.
But it was fading, fading
For both of them.
All too fast,
Just like a dream.
"Ever after..."
The walls whispered,
But no one could understand.