Up & away

I don’t remember that day

when I boarded my air balloon

With mother’s arms around, to tuck me in

Hardly suited-up to fly, up and away

I took off, early morning on a Tuesday

the sun was bright and fruity orange

All around animals were calling out into an air freshly baked and still crisp

my balloon was gaining speed, up and away

Rapidly rising, I could see trees, houses and the limitless horizon

fondly I remembered, singing with young songbirds many

on warm and bountiful mornings, plenty with songs au contraire

But all the time in my fluffy balloon, I lazily shot, up and away

Proud of my flight which was headlong yet steady

the sun got blinding and harsher

familiar faces grew smaller

I felt so alone in a shrinking wooden basket - now it sluggishly drifted so high, up and away

I saw the dark clouds above me and experienced thunder

but a welcome drizzle greeted me

and suddenly an unexpected swan crossed me with her elegant flight

While my balloon was soaring up and away

For I was the above clouds

The air was achingly cold and ether got dark

My swan I lost in the dusk

I don’t recall where I had started or knew how long will I linger, still up and away

Finally, infinite space was the empty color of frozen soot

beyond, moon, stars and galaxies gleamed of fire
That last breath, a final movement long gone

listless lonely flight like life, bid adieu to known terra firma and, dissolved up and away