Another take on that lovely word, Imagine. Most of us fly in our dreams – sometimes it seems quite real…
FREE FLIGHT (Writer’s Island, Imagine)
Wandering into the enchanted field
petting daisies, grazing the tips of
grasses grown wild and tall
She centers herself
gripping damp ground with her toes
Eyes close and her face turns skyward
Arms rise from her sides and she
wills her body to follow
Heels peel off the earth, then her toes
Opening her eyes, she is just off the ground
hovering, delighted, a featherweight being
Now comes the real work
She launches into a vertical breaststroke
slowly, loving the feel of her fingers moving through
humid air as though along a pond
The field is far below her now; her house is
a Lego-sized block. She levels off her ascent
and pushes farther into the atmosphere
Over hills, touching the tops of Douglas firs
Swooping down over the river, she waves to
kids swimming on the lakeshore
Look, they whisper, Why don’t our parents
believe us? She doesn’t wait for night
She take flight when we can watch her
But the grownups are too busy, away from the
places in nature where she can be spied
so only children are inspired to try and fly
Someday, she muses, I will have a daughter
and we will take a night flight, hand in hand, close to
the harvest moon, as fireflies light the way
And when we’ve had enough of airborne travel
we’ll come to rest on our own roof
feet dangling over the eaves. Wondering, laughing
How many are blessed with the power of flight?
She doesn’t know, but thinks it must be very few
for she’s never seen another in all her travels
Her mother taught her the secret: Let go of the world
let the air fill you up past your lungs, so deeply
that you are the air. Let go and be free
© 2010 Amy Barlow Liberatore, Sharp Little Pencil
Sharp Little Pencil 
annie
I found this deeply meaningful, Amy. It reminded me of the flights of fancy I would take almost every night as I tucked my daughter into bed and she would say, “Tell me a story, mommy”. Not read me a story, but tell me a story. Oh to have them all written down somewhere now.
Thank you for your kind comment at the Writer’s Island site. I find that sometimes too when spam letters refuse to come up. I finally figured out that if I just came back to it later, even just in a moment, they kick in. Of course, I also developed the habit of clicking the copy command on my comment so I wouldn’t have to reinvent it over again.
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah, yes, the old copy and re-paste routine! I know it well…
Thanks for catching the vibe that this is indeed the type of story I used to tell my daughter. And I did write some of them down, but there was one we called “Nicholas and the Hash Browns” that went all over the place and ended in an awful pun… I’ll have to call Riley and see if she can help me remember it. Thanks for the reminder! I’ll keep visiting you, Annie. Peace, Amy
1sojournal
Thank you for the flight and the fireflies. I was just listening to the song by that name done by Owl City on a clip at YouTube, and it began to play through my mind as I started to read your piece. They fit together. I like this a lot!
Elizabeth
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Elizabeth… I’ll look that song up on YouTube. I’ve never heard of the group!
Aine
Have you read “Wondrous Strange”? Reminds me of Kelly’s story. When we do the incredible, it’s a lonely flight, because not many are willing to take the time. I enjoyed the flow of the words too – it has great rhythm. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
I have not read that, but will research. I’m getting amazing referrals to other works out of this… usually the music comes from my daughter and the story suggestions come from my friend Nan. My universe is expanding!! Thanks!