There’s a part of a man
Deep inside, rooted in
Ribs and muscular tissue
Between his heart and soul
That longs for the sky.
I crave acquiring the clouds
To put squawking seagulls
To shame, and gain wisdom
From a soaring bald eagle.
I want to sit in peace below
The stars as I learn their names,
Along with the history of how
It was they ignited so brightly.
So I did, and
You’d imagine an explosive
Launch full of fire and smoke;
Lined with sound and fury,
But it was as quiet as a prolonged
Breath: An inhalation deep and determined.
The air entered my nostrils,
Flooding my lungs and flowing
Slowly over my tongue as I tasted
The salt from an incoming tide
That dissipated on the horizon.
The sky was a fluorescent
Blue-green that day. I remember
It distinctly, as it was the first time
I sat upon a cumulonimbus cloud.
I spoke to the stars only to find
Their silence overwhelming.
They were unconcerned with
burning out,
exploding,
or having a horrible Monday.
Another breath took me past
The atmosphere that inflicts
Pain from season to season.
Gazing down at the orb below
Reminded me of a handful of
Smooth stony truths;
Truths unchanged by ticking clocks
Like love,
compassion,
what a day can give and take,
and how profoundly American
A flag on the moon looks in the sunlight
At point-blank range.
The truths that followed
I’ll never tell;
Blast off yourself, and
Peel your eyelids towards
The sun.
Fingers crossed,
eyes
to
the
sky.
Vera Haddan says
“Cloud Shaped Indentations” feels perfect. My favorite verse is when you spoke to the stars and they were unconcerned.
Phil Hogate says
Thanks so much for your feedback! I’m glad to see that someone is enjoying my literary endeavors :).