Sestina

Once upon me I was not afraid

when the sky opened her wings

and swallowed the seabirds

and I went tumbling in that great mouth

with birds, clouds and minions of the wind

all of us flailing together as one

I counted myself as one

who of nothing was afraid

no matter the storms that came rushing on the wind

and assailed the heart's sweet span of wings

regardless I would open my mouth

and speak the truth of the seabirds

And yet dear as they are those seabirds

inclining and declining like a swoop of one

it was chaos that formed in that sky's dark mouth

and in chaos how can one not be afraid

frantically fluttering one's broken wings

and losing the battle against that wind

Oh she howled that vicious wind

and tore the feathers of the seabirds

from their delicate and salt-laden wings

as down they fell one by one

too much in despair to be afraid

whilst fire exhaled from the demon's mouth

And from my own demented mouth

I cried out unto that cruel wind

“Of you, devil, I will not be afraid

although my heart beats like the seabirds

for with them I shall rise as one

on God's great protective wings

And then to shelter under those wings

and in his truth-filled mouth

all innocents may sit as one

and look into the sea's harsh wind

to fish again with the diving seabirds

never to be hungry or afraid”

My prayer on wings I send with the wind

and I sing with the mouth of the seabirds

One love, one life, never afraid