Crimson MorningAtop the ridge he sat gazing into infinity. Hands moved effortlessly as eyes pensively searched the clouds. The blade, honed to perfection, slid through the softened wood casting bits of pine into the breeze. Eyes fixed upon some eternal point of burning horizon his forehead wrinkled. The slow rhythmic scraping of the wood marked the passage of time. His eyes drew to a face in the clouds. Emerald jewels sat against the azure. With a twinkle she smiled and turned to him. The sun with living rays beckoned his countenance for happiness. Bright light shone through her gleaming hair of silken-woven gold. Through woods and hills she played upon her wings of ivory. And he would chase her through the forest to catch and hold her. In a meadow he walked with her to a diamond-filled stream. With his blade he whittled pine to make a flute for her. White shavings flowed down the stream as he gazed into her eyes. The sun filtered sweet blessings upon the two as they sat beneath the whispering canopy talking. Love kissed rays reflected off of the newly polished betrothal ring upon her pale finger. Words of weddings and children bubbled from their lips as they lounged upon the forest's carpet. Upon the ground they lay gazing into each others eyes. Seeping fingers of evening crept upon them in their wordless speech. Graying clouds moved in over them in their bliss. She again ran away, mincing and laughing through the forest. With wood and knife in hand he followed through the boughs of green. In the waning light of evening he lost sight of her and gaily jounced about the forest to find her. As he swept through the trees he heard the ominous howl of wind moaning over the edge of a cliff approaching him. On pattering feet of carelessness he rounded a large mound of rock and stepped near the brink of the cliff. As suddenly as it came into view the receding sun pulled at his attention as it fluttered below the horizon. He blinked at this fading memory and for an instant knew the world. Above and behind him a gleeful cry filled his ears and he turned to see his love in midair. She leapt down to him from where she had been hiding. He turned innocently, but with knife in hand. As she sank into his grip an expression of pensive fear trickled across her face. Her paling form collapsed into his and brought him to the ground. Within his being he felt a silken black cloth pulled over his hope. A silent tear formed in his eye as he felt the sinful warmth over his hand. Her form over his tensed itself in betrayed rejection that squoze the life from his heart. Then slowly it receded like the tide washing away a pearl as he watched in destitution. He turned her face in view to glimpse her pale life stealing away on dove's wings. In her sad eyes he saw the last pang of love reflect from her soft eyes and roll into a single tear fading forever with the burning sunset. The final shard of love endowed wood left the weeping edge of his blade. It flowed upward borne on the breath of angels to live amid the clouds. Upon wings of light his hope and destiny left him to live in dreams. The man knelt to cradle his pale love in his kind hands. He held her before him as he stood mournfully looking into air. With the song of the freshly carved flute eternally playing love to his dear he walked with her in his loving arms to their paradise in heaven. Back to Literature |