NaPoWriMo 2015: Day 30

#30: ONCE UPON A SPRINGTIME

Death drifted through the park one spring day

And his thoughts were not of grimness nor reaping

But of strange things:

The red balloon, floating ownerless over the trees

Like a great, angry eye

The colour of each blade of grass

Pale celadon, so clean and fresh

And the scent of earth like a pungent perfume

Urgent, fertile, rich with life.

“Oh Mister, could you help me please?” she called

And Death wondered that he’d not seen her

Before that moment:

Sitting on the back of a great stone leopard

Near the fountain

Clarinet-warm voice

Lilting like birdsong in the clear morning

Red-striped white flamenco dress as prominent

As the blood of a murder victim on clean snow.

“Please Mister Death, his wings are encased in stone,” she pleaded.

He would fly to the ends of the earth -

To the ends of the earth and beyond, if only he could break free.”

And Death marvelled at her boldness.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, and she nodded simply - 

A solemn girl-child, almost a woman

With a great purple-black mane of hair

And eyes dark as black grapes

And Death remembered his youth when he looked at her.

A touch from his thin hand.

Cracks blossomed over stone wings like veins

And suddenly, pinions blue as the sky

Burst forth from their prison.

“Thank you!” exclaimed the girl. Death inclined his head

Before looking at her for a long moment.

“I don’t know how to fly,” he said gravely. “Will you teach me?”

The girl smiled, holding out her hand.

Into the sky sailed the leopard on its great blue wings

Carrying Death and the Maiden

And the red balloon watched from its unwinking eye

As they disappeared into the distance

Once upon a Springtime, long ago and far away.