The Castle in the Clouds - Scene #3 - Polaris

Wind no longer blew upon
The battlements and it was calm
In unfathomed depths of night
Shone brave beacons of star-light

The stars all turned their faces to the North
Looking to Polaris
The guide to those who venture forth
They shook a little starlight free
A film of luminosity
On the top of each cloud shone
As far as any boy could see

The boy stood still
And gasped to view
Cloud-tops silvered
Through and through

'How small you seem
And far away'
Polaris said
In a kindly way

'You think yourself bereft alone
Yet we stars have always known
That one courageous such as you
Would climb upon the cloudy throne

We watch throughout the silver night
And through the golden daytime too
Be assured my precious one
We will ever watch for you'

The boy looked up and floating down
Was a starry cloak of night
In folds of deepest velvet black
Were captured beams of fair starlight

'Wear it well' Polaris said
'Be not afraid to fight
Though in deepest darkness
The cloak - and hope - shall give you light ...'

A new light shone upon the scene
Polaris in mid-sentence froze
Then he bowed and took his leave
As the full moon rose ... to be continued

Wilderness

Yesterday I observed
The wilderness man
He lived very far away
Living off the land

Outside his home all alone
He stood and seemed to say
Tomorrow you will all be gone
But as for me, here I stay

You will be gone, I'll forget you
Television is one-way
And I was never really there
But he is there to this day

And he has no need of me
Nor you nor anyone
But I find that I have need of him
Living in the humdrum

Living in the humdrum
Eating from a plastic dish
Wishing there were someone
To tell me what to wish

Hollywood

Guns firing live ammunition - what for?
There is no war
No wrong - no right
There is no good fight
No artistry - no inspiration
No bright spark of creation
Just focus groups to reassure
The money men - to ensure
Popular assent
Return upon investment

Early Mourning

The westering sun ignites
Catkins high in the treetops
Swells of the land still slumber
In a mauve shadow of night
It is as if I remember
When none was there but the birdsong
Long before greed uprooted the trees
And the dwellings of man cast a blight

The Castle in the Clouds - Scene #2 - Old Man Wind

Far off thunder grumbled
And a low voice rumbled
"What have we here -
What have we found?"
The startled boy span around

Before him wisps of cloud
Coalesced to form
The image of a wizened face
On whirling eddies borne
"I am the wind
And who are you?
How came you here
What would you do?
Though the bravest hearts are few
I spy within a heart that's true!"

'Seek I extinguisher of joy
Seek I Darkness' said the boy
Self-surprised by boldness
And the courage of the brave
In the very face of the Wind
Account of himself he gave
He told of his wind-borne progress
And the Wind was amazed

"I see courage deep within
And the will to show it
In the blackest moment
Do not doubt it - know it!
Reminder now I give to you
That your heart is ever true
If you doubt take it out
Remember that your heart is stout!"

Borne upward on a whisper
Fluttering, quivering
A silver feather all a-glister
In the starlight shimmering
Floating in the air
The boy espied it there
And, thinking of his sister
Deftly caught it
Swiftly brought it
Wearing concentration's frown
Quickly saved it
Safely stored it
Wrapped within his dressing gown

Wind took his leave, there fell a calm
Yet Wind was not completely gone
A whisper of his might remained
A whisper of his voice explained
"Be you bold my little one
For courage in the task to come
Keep close this silver feather
And never mind the weather"   ... to be continued