I dreamed We were Flying

I dreamed I was flying and you were there too.
We were strong and free
Born of the sky
Beautiful and wild

Side by side
The same wind beneath our wings
Raising us up
We traveled high and far
Across plains and seas
Bare deserts and lush canopies

We flew through the storms
And harsh weather
Always together

We saw wondrous worlds
Astonishing things
Others of our kind
And kinds of pure new

I never once thought
That our paradise could end
That there was anything too dangerous
For on each other we could depend

It was a field that moved
Beneath us that day
There grew tall grass
Or maybe hay

To my eye
I saw only
Land and sky

Innocent
Naïve
Foolish
Blind

We did not know
Within the field
There were those things
Creatures called men
And we did not know
What they could do

Early dusk
Sun just setting
We were but two shadows
Drifting amid pale clouds
Flying high and singing freely
When all around us
The sky exploded
Thunder cracked the sky open
And out fell utter hell
A storm with no rain and no wind
There was only the flash of light
And an ominous feeling
The peril of fire

Black smoke began to rise
As the field lit up
yellow and orange
red and white
the evening lost its cool
as the world went up in flames.
There was something wrong with this fire
Instead of burning on the ground
It burned in the air
And it burned all hues
Green and blue
Purple and gold
It was fire that came to life
Striking violent poses
And stretching far out
To form immense blue marigolds

Startled, I fled at top speed
The flashes of light lit up your back
And I followed as fast as I could
Despite the strain in my muscles
And the heart pounding within me
Hammering to break free from my ribcage
Panting, I hoped we’d find a tree
Somewhere to hide
Far away from the noise
And out of reach of the fire

Then something hit me
A tiny sun burning fiercely
Struck, I fell from the sky
Flailing and tumbling
The remnants of the joyous feeling
of flight, of bliss
Quickly replaced
By the sensation of falling, of agony
I saw you still flying,
Flying away from me
Blinded by distress, I could not see
The home I was leaving
Or what lie in store for me

I fell to earth
Broken and burned
Raised my dizzy head
And saw in the light of strange colors
That I was alone
I’d lost you

Between loud bangs of thunder
I listened for your voice
But heard nothing
My echo
I screamed
I screamed out of terror
Out of pain
Out of hope
I screamed long after the noise stopped
And the fire had all died

Sitting alone in the dark
Eyes wide with alarm
Feathers scorched and bones snapped
I untangled my twisted body
And found that I could walk
But I could not fly
Above I saw the sky
And was beaten down by homesickness

I started to walk
Burdened by the weight of my heart
And thought of you, my one
I searched the ground
Wanting to see you but hoping not to find
A body that did not belong
I don’t see you here
How I hope you made it out
I hope you found shelter
And got out of the storm
I hope you join a flock
And will not mourn  
I hope you return to the sky
Though I might belong as your side
It’s here I’m bound.

I started settling down, hindered by pain
Shutting my eyes I wished it away
But I opened my eyes to a new realization
I couldn’t wake up
I’ll never wake up
This isn’t a dream
It’s a nightmare
And I’m awake for it all.