Water towers too

It feels like a stereotype —
the windmills, the old ford truck,
the cows in pasture —
and yet that’s my view.

There’s also the 70 mph
two-lane road and
the broken down barns.
The sky would normally be
empty for miles and miles,
but it’s grey and overcast.

The sun is setting,
orange light silhouetting
clouds, and it’s reminding
me of home.

I miss the cradle of the mountains,
the easy flow of the river,
the forests of pine and hemlock.

We passed an old tree
struck down by lightning.
I wonder what that would feel like,
to feel the surge of light,
of electricity.

I can imagine speaking in sparks,
shocking those around me.
I’d never let it stop,
forever giving my body to the light,
shining with each crackle,
each sizzle, of power.

My home would no longer
be that valley,
but a field of grasses
and coneflowers.

Not a bad trade-off,
I suppose, to create a
new home in this place
and share this light with you.

Sky (or Little Blue Girl)

Sky received a grave responsibility at a very young age. She, the Soul Keeping Yearling (or Sky, for short), was the youngest of generations of beings tasked with protecting the human race. For eons, her family cared for the lowly beings, understanding the overwhelming importance of their job. Sky block out the dangerous, dark, expansive galaxy that lied outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Her blue-radiance disfigured the troublesome space and brought joy to the meek humans. She recognized the severity of her job and eagerly did it every day. Luckily, she had friends to keep her company; Rocky played with her when the humans slept, Beam exaggerated her magnificent color during their days, and Nimb gave her shelter when ailing.
Sky loved every century of her job; alas, she grew old. More and more frequently, Nimb invited his cousins, the Thundersons, to protect the humans while Sky recovered from increasing conditions. It was time for Sky to step down from the position. She protected the life-forms below for so long, even when they threatened her with rockets, probed at her secrets, and tried to capture her essence. Sky, weakened, gracefully faded away under the cover of Rocky, allowing the new protector to take her place.

The Sky

It is easy to stare at something like the sky: an empty, unyielding presence that can be so comforting

It is a place without walls to let your dreams soar, but with the capacity to hide your most discomforting thoughts

It is so vast, so untouchable, but somehow still in reach; like a child’s hand
searching for the stove’s burner

It is unknown, yet familiar; unheard, yet soft-voiced; unfelt, yet smooth; indescribable, yet described

It is blue, blanketed by clouds, but somehow completely clear to the viewer, an intimate friend