A crossed shadow falls over me
as I am lying in the soft grass
I look up into the painfully blue sky and realise
it is a sleek white bird
with wings so big they can wrap around you
covering all,
and Heaven.
Mesmerised
I trace its smooth flight with my tearing eyes
until it vanishes into the far distant
and I realise,
I am looking straight into the Sun.
Hurriedly I close my eyes
but in the red darkness of my lids
All I see
is the outline of a black bird against a blinding white light
burnt forever into my retina
My eyes clenched shut, tears running down my cheeks
I suddenly
feel a soft wind against my cheek
as the bird,
returned,
sweeps past me, so close,
so close,
I can feel the tip of its wing against my cheek
As if to say,
Thank You,
and Good Bye.
