The Dance of the Feathers

Orange feathers fall softly to the floor
I wish you could have seen their dance
The wind carried each with grace in spins and twirls and leaps
But somewhere there they flew too high

The earth envied for them, and thus began to seek
Greedily, lurching, hungry
Inquiring names, dates, and times

And with the promise of greater heights and stronger winds
It seduced them
It pulled them into their fall

They landed oh so softly and awaited for their ride
They longed to dance in high heavens like others they once saw
And so they were picked easily for flight
And as their wings soared higher they became lost

Turbulent winds tossed them, scattered them
They no longer twirled but spun in vertigo
They were tossed with fury and though they longed to touch the earth once more,
They were condemned to fly till the clouds grew tired
Til the rain cared to cease, till the sun cared to shine

They prayed and wept for a safe return, but the heavens were far too high
They never made it there and they never made it back

Feathers are dancing as they fall to a pale moonlight
And the earth is in envy once more, for it is forbidden to take flight
Clouds are forming, and the wind wants to pick up.
Feathers recommend: dancing only for professionals who know how to fly back.

-Noemi E. Garcia

To Die Tonight

Let me breathe, in this never ending travesty
I am at the surface, this very shore
Take me.

The waves come slowly, I know you're alive
I have nothing here.
Take me, let the waters overtake me.

I wait upon the waters to lead me into safety
My face towards the light
Will you come for me?
The tide for now is too weak.

I'm foaming at the mouth, sea foam kisses my lips
And in all my rage, and in all its fury, let the sea engulf me
Waves pounding now.
The moon rises.

Breathing is becoming optional,
Sea levels stop hiding.
They've swallowed salty waters too many
Tears. Ocean. Call it what you may.

Let me here be buried. Let me here be put to rest.
Let my spirit live, this body die.
The waters above me, there is nothing left down here.

At the bottom of the sea lay this weak body;
At the top of the sky smiles a soul from afar:
"My feet on the ground of shadows, but my head towards the light."

I die, so that I may live.
My God,my God, in this death I am finally alive.

Oh for our sake, my Lord, I died tonight.

-Noemi E. Garcia