#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.
