Alice over broken glass
Her wonderland is dead.
Wilting roses fade to black
And so we paint them red
The silence cuts like butter,
Melancholy spreads like jam.
Something is quite clearly wrong
Here in Wonderland.
A hand of cards have I been dealt
For the affairs within my heart
What does it mean? What could it not!
Who knows where feelings start?
The Hatter’s acting solemn,
The rabbit’s running late,
The Cheshire’s face has fallen flat
For he too knows our fate.
For while stars still sparkle softly,
While the moon still shines with song,
They’ve been failed by my feeble hands,
Neglected for so long…
Perhaps my worth had washed away
The moment the mirror broke.
Perhaps my smile was never true
And it’s only now that I’ve awoke.
And maybe this is all blasphemy!
Maybe it’ll pass within a day,
Wonderland will rise again
This has always been the way.
For while the heart may bleed and shriek
As it sheds its bitter tears,
Even my mind will dream again,
Even this storm shall clear.
Yes, I’ll cry with each turn of fate
And I’ll mourn the setting sun,
But that alone will not end my story,
I still get to be someone!
A journey doesn’t cease
When one reaches a fence.
Wonderland doesn’t wither
When it begins to make no sense.
With that, I get to close my eyes
No longer fearful of the gloom.
New ink against a fresh turned page
Will let the roses bloom
Wonderland will be ok
And I will be, too.
Tobi Schumann is a 15-year-old writer living on the Northwest end of Tasmania alongside her sisters and parents. 'I’ve always been incredibly fond of the many different forms of art, whether they be visual or literary, and I enjoy drawing inspiration from all the nostalgic stories and fairytales of my childhood. I’m incredibly excited to continue creating and learning through the many opportunities that this wonderful community provides!' Tobi's poem 'All of us are mad, isn't that brilliant?' was an entry in the 2022 Andrew Hardy Youth Poetry Prize (16 years and under section).