Tag: tears

useless wings (Poem 20160505)

crow19 Comments

i would make dust devils
if a pair of wings
sprouted from my back
like those pictures of angels
from a kid’s illustrated bible
–you know, the one with blond jesus

ah, those wings, so bright
so electric fluoride white
were they just for show
i don’t remember seeing
the angels fly in those pictures

one image i remember–
flaming sword in hand
staring off at the horizon
not even looking at adam and eve
but ready to set up the hue and cry
as they slunk away in the shadow
of its petrified glowing wings
with shame-shadowed stained faces

or maybe he stared at them
disappointment smeared across his mug
insects trying to steal their way
back into a prison called paradise
or envy since they soared
without wings and without
having to carry that dead weight
around on their backs

——

Jane Dougherty Writes
Poetry challenge #29: Tears

Poem 20150506

crow

we walked
through the dark woods
dark not just because of the canopy
of green and grey leaves
that hid the sky
whenever we came into a clearing
we looked up to find black clouds
and we could taste the metal
tang of rain wanting to happen

but one clearing blinded us
when we entered
we looked up but the clouds
hung black as before
thick and oily

in the center of the clearing
huddled the angel
wings folded over its shoulders
hiding its face
it trembled, racked with sobs
and the light came from a pool
of tears gathering at its sandaled feet
unbearable to behold

we moved on without speaking
either to the angel
or one another
what could drive an angel
to earth
to tears
and what human comfort
could stop those tears