I fold my shameful wings
and pray that no one may see
what I hide.
Dark stains taint the purity of what was.
Wings hurl, averse to savage winds,
which change wings to a form
worn and aged by endless use.
They do not return unscathed by storms;
wet salt is thrown against what was dry.
I mourn immaculate dove-white wings
which have been altered to a wanderer's feathers,
because I know their fate;
to be submerged yet again by torrents
which rise against me.
Chapter One: Back to the Beginning
Julian shivered in the darkling downpour that had cemented his hair to his forehead for the past two days. His tunic, once blue and gold, cleaved to his knees in tatters. All he could wish for that night was a dry place to lie down. Likely to die, he thought, his long eyelashes swiping at the rain in his eyes. Every story ends with—
The sun has withdrawn its last warm rays,
leaving the earth to cool itself in the dark.
The ground relinquishes the warmth of the burning days,
as the air chills in the indigo dark.
A breath of wind ruffles my hair in passing,
pressing into my skin soft fingers of cold.
Greedily it snatches the warmth of my breathing,
giving in return a lungful of cold.
The silence seems to numb my cold ears,
no one else has ventured into the night.
I haven’t felt this alive in years,
Breathing and walking in the dark cold night.
I wanted to eat apple pie
The lack of it caused me to cry
I searched an I searched
And my heart gave a lurch
I wished I could find some of mine
The Baker’s son soon stole a pie
Not for you but for I
He flew through the vale
Until the crust had turned stale
For naught did he worthlessly fly
I ran into old Mother Hubbard
I asked her to look in her cupboard
Unfortunately
There was none there for me
So I walked off to ask of my brother
A foot out the door,
A lingering glance,
A final farewell to all I know.
A pipe in my hand,
A cloak on my back,
A quick glance ‘round before I go.
Turn to face the sunrise,
Lifting my face to the morning beauty.
Stepping into the morning dew,
Setting out on an unknown path,
A melody flowing from my mind.
New places, new faces,
A silent nod to every stranger.
Leaving all I knew behind,
Setting out to rest at last,
Always hunting for an answer.