Nursery Rhymes.

Jordan, of Dayton in frozen Ohio,
returned to the doorway of her childhood room.  
Looking past old wrongs and regrets,  
she set herself to  
sweeping away years with a scrapbook broom.  
 
When you fade away it's hard to find a way home,  
though 'twas as I'd left it, claustrophobic and cold.  
The lines I'd rehearsed thinned just as  
we met, leaving me  
struggling to keep straight the tales that I'd told.  
 
I'd "been expected", she said, her lips to my ear  
She'd prayed for Santa dressed in daddy's clothes.  
Then wryly smiled like a player  
who held all the cards.  
"A fraud" I said, to keep her on her toes.  
 
Her mother's indigo eyes gave nothing away.  
She asked where I'd been and she seemed to want to know.  
Should I just unload my baggage  
brimming with neglect,  
or jump in the creek and go with the flow.




Jordan, of Dayton in frozen Ohio,
returned to the doorway of her childhood room.      
Looking past old wrongs and regrets,      
she set herself to      
sweeping away years with a scrapbook broom.      
     
When you fade away it's hard to find a way home,      
though 'twas as I'd left it, claustrophobic and cold.      
The lines I'd rehearsed thinned just as      
we met, leaving me      
struggling to keep straight the tales that I'd told.      
     
I'd "been expected", she said, her lips to my ear,     
she'd  prayed for Santa dressed in daddy's clothes.      
Then wryly smiled like a player      
who held all the cards.      
"A fraud" I said, to keep her on her toes.      
     
Her mother's indigo eyes gave nothing away.      
She asked where I'd been and she seemed to want to know.        
Should I just unload my baggage      
brimming with neglect,      
or jump in the creek and go with the flow.        
     
     
Less experimental version (#2) Here, I just used more common line breaks (for me, that is)      
     
     
     
Jordanna of Dayton in frozen Ohio      
returned to the doorway of her childhood room.      
Looking past old wrongs and regrets, she set herself        
to sweeping up years with a scrapbook broom.      
     
When you fade away it's hard to find a way home,      
though 'twas as I'd left it, claustrophobic and cold.      
Lines I'd rehearsed thinned just as we met, leaving me      
struggling to keep straight the tales that I'd told.      
     
I'd "been expected", she said.  Her lips to my ear      
She'd  prayed for Santa dressed in daddy's clothes.      
She then smiled like a player who held all the cards.      
"Just an old fraud" I said, to keep her on her toes.      
     
Her mother's indigo eyes gave nothing away.      
She asked where I'd been and seemed to want to know.        
Should I unload my baggage brimming with neglect,      
or jump in the Ohio and go with the flow