1. The Breakfast Flock
To fly was so much more than flapping wings
and while the Breakfast Flock besieged the fleet
that chummed the water, Jonathon had things
to do 'sides squawk and dodge and fight to eat.
The thousand gulls began another day,
their raucous screeching testimony to
their group-think need to aggregate that way,
for they could see no other thing to do.
Yet Jonathon would so much rather fly.
He lived to fly while others flew to eat.
He flew a hundred feet into the sky
and practiced learning a new turning feat.
A disgrace others would not take so well,
so tight a curve he tried, he stalled and fell.
2. Level Flight
So tight a curve he tried, he stalled and fell.
But unashamed, (though seagulls never stall),
he stretched his wings and tried again- as well
you note: he was not common after all.
He found that when less than a half wingspan
above the water he could float on air,
effortlessly, a most efficient plan
that let him glide most far without a care.
But others cared! His dad and mother asked"
"Why Jon, can't you be like all of the rest
and leave low flying to the birds so tasked-
the pelicans who surely do that best?"
"Be like others, avoid the social stings
Conform," they said, "try doing natural things."
3. Being Obedient
"Conform," they said, try doing natural things.
Jon really tried for several days that week.
He tried to wear his mother's apron strings.
he screeched and dove and fought with wing and beak.
He flocked around the piers and fishing boats
and dove for scraps of fish and tossed out bread.
He chaffed against the ennui that promotes.
So pointless- he could learn to fly instead.
Deliberately he then dropped his fish,
a hungry old gull chasing him was pleased.
To learn to fly was Jonathon's real wish.
and now the opportunity was seized.
I'll not conform to nonsense they compel-
Nope! I'm going to fly and soon excel
4. Fixed Wing Flight
Nope! I'm going to fly and soon excel.
Alone again way out to sea, his need
to learn was something not to quench or quell
so practice was the plan, this week's goal: speed.
He learned why gulls don't make such speedy dives;
at seventy, the wings become unstable
on the upstroke. No matter how one strives,
that darn gull upstroke one cannot enable.
So Jon decided trying something man
had use, a fixed-wing for his fast descent.
He flapped 'til fifty MPH and then
held his wings still and only slightly bent.
From two thousand feet, plunging without lulls
he set the world recorded speed for gulls.
5. Speed Record
He set the world recorded speed for gulls.
exceeding ninety MPH- then crashed.
Unconscious still dreamed of lofty goals
and sought to solve that problem, unabashed.
He woke with wings like ragged bars of lead
but weight of failure was still even worse.
He wished he'd simply sink and end up dead,
for failures seemed his own repeated curse.
But sinking low he heard a voice within
"I'm limited by nature, am I not?
If meant for speed I'd have wings short and thin-
like falcons and would not have to be taught. "
He'd join the flock, and once again act right,
by accident he flew toward home at night.
6. Epiphany
By accident he flew toward home at night;
"It's dark!", an inner voice intoned, get down!-
seagulls you know, will never find that right."
If you were meant to fly at night you clown,
an owls eyes you'd have - also charts for brains
and the short wings of falcons… short wings- wait."
The answer pushed a rushing through his veins,
short wings has been the missing needed trait.
So, now he rose two thousand feet above-
"I'll fold my wings and fly on tips alone."
No thought of death- pursuing what he loved
he "knew" that he'd just found his new speed zone.
Re-born, rejoiced, this single seagull mulls..
he'd found the inspiration Flock-thought dulls.
7. 200 MPH
He'd found the inspiration Flock-thought dulls.
He dove, his wings now clamped against his side
it was as if some laws he would annul.
At such amazing speed it was a ride.
The faintest twitch of wingtips promptly eased
him from his dive, and shot him over waves-
a cannonball of grey- and he was pleased;
His vows abandoned for the life he craves.
Now practice was required and sun- up found
him up five thousand feet above the fleet
about to dive again and to astound.
And that he did in manner not so neat.
He'd learned to speed but hadn't planned it right;
he just missed hitting flock of gulls in flight.
8. Banished
He just missed hitting flock of gulls in flight.
but learned that day to turn at speed, the loop,
the roll, the pinwheel, too to his delight!
The Council came together as a group
and shamed him for his acts! He was cast out.
He spent the rest of his days all alone
but that was not what sorrow was about,
it was their missing what they might have known.
The flock refused the glory learning brought.
They would keep scrabbling after chopped fish heads
while delicious fresh fish were easily caught
by streamlined dives beneath the waves instead.
Then Jon saw how good life could really be,
the flock then cast him out and set him free.
9. Years later
The flock then cast him out and set him free.
Two gulls as pure as starlight flew beside
him- friendly, smiling; their wings couldn't be
an inch from his wingtips on either side.
He tested them. One knot above stall speed,
then dives slow rolls and loops-they matched each move.
They passed completely every test indeed
"We're brothers came their words so strong and smooth.
We've come to take you home for you have learned.
One school is finished, yet another waits."
At last he said "I'm ready", and up he turned
with gulls he knew were heaven's delegates.
He'd spend his life at mental freedom's helm;
his freedom took him to a higher realm
10. The Elder
His freedom took him to a higher realm.
The same old Jonathon looked through his eyes,
but form had changed enough to overwhelm.
Seagulls here all seemed satisfied and wise.
"Chiang…", (said to one soon to leave this world),
this isn't heaven after all is it?"
"Your wings are not the only part unfurled,
my son, you're learning and will never quit.
And heaven's not a time or place at all;
it's being perfect- barriers all surpassed!
You'll find perfection, if such speed's your call,
when going any takes no time. That's fast.
Keep learning son, and you'll begin to see
where nothing lays beyond reality."
11. An Instructor
Where nothing lays beyond reality
Jon let his love become his life's new goal.
He found some others outcast such as he,
and assumed what was meant to be his role.
When Fletcher Lynn Seagull became his charge,
outcast because his dream was just to fly,
Jon felt an obligation to discharge,
Jon taught him how- and more, he taught him why.
For now, 'twas not for him alone he strove,
but for all blinded by their seagull-hood.
He sought to share life's very treasure trove,
to teach the Flock their blindness was not good.
The mission seemed to some to overwhelm
one needed only guidance at the helm.
12. Return to Flock
One needed only guidance at the helm.
and Jonathon was now the one to teach.
"Your mind can go to any place or realm;
there is no speed that lies beyond your reach."
To his eight students he announced, "It's now
that we return to Flock." Some anguish rose
among his group. "By law we're outcasts, how
can we return?" Jon told them how it goes."
"We're not now flock, and where we wish we go."
and thus they flew, a tight formation group,
they were perhaps the very first airshow!
The Flock's unblinking eyes all watched the troop.
Apart but near the students stretched their wings,
within Flock's view Jon taught his crew new things.
13. Overcoming the Physical
Within Flock's view Jon taught his crew new things.
One day with dangling wing a gull approached
"I want to fly, but flying takes two wings…"
"You want to fly, and so you will Jon coached.
And when he did, he screamed, "Look at me fly!"
A thousand gulls approached the training class
now eager to be shown just how and why.
Jon taught that ritual habits must not last.
For laws restricting freedom are contrived;
they served up order only at great cost,
and while the Flock continued to survive
the thrill of living freely has been lost.
When soul is free that's when a gull's heart sings;
To fly was so much more than flapping wings
14. Passing the Torch
To fly was so much more than flapping wings
Your body's just a picture in your mind,
Your spirit's where reality now clings.
You're anywhere you want to be, you'll find.
When Jonathon left- thought himself away,
a student stepped into the teacher role.
And Fletcher knew that he too'd learn some day
and teleport to Jon on beach or shoal.
For while we're here and now it's also true
that now is also everywhere right now
and quantum physics makes up part of you
through multi-universes anyhow.
Enlightenment won't come as soon for some
but living free will someday let it come.
To fly was so much more than flapping wings
So tight a curve he tried, he stalled and fell.
Conform they said, try doing natural things.
Nope! I'm going to fly and soon excel.
He set the world recorded speed for gulls.
By accident he flew toward home at night;
he found the inspiration Flock-thought dulls.
He just missed hitting flock of gulls in flight.
The flock then cast him out and set him free.
His freedom took him to a higher realm
where nothing lays beyond reality,
one needed only guidance at the helm.
Within Flock's view Jon taught his crew new things;
to fly was so much more than flapping wings
© Lawrencealot - March 12, 2014
Author's Notes:
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, written by Richard Bach,
is a fable in novella form about a seagull learning about life
and flight, and a homily about self-perfection.
It was first published in 1970 as "Jonathan Livingston Seagull — a story."
Published March 12, 2014 on Allpoetry.com by Lawrence Eberhart.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Heroic Crown Of Sonnets: The Warrior's Tale
She
was a warrior with mighty sword,
A
huntsman’s daughter, now she lived alone
Her
parents dead, the lodge beside a forde
Was
solely hers, the place that she called home.
The
cottage bordered mighty forest trees
Whose
trunks stood strong to guard the magic there,
For
fairy kingdom stood under the leaves
Of
sacred living tree, so gold and fair.
For
many years the fairies had known bliss
Until
a threat foretold became stark fact,
And so
they came in search of mighty Miss
In
hopes that they could make a fairy pact.
They
came to her, resplendent on their wings,
They
asked that she be champion for their king.
They
asked that she be champion for their king,
Defend
the realm and hidden golden boughs
Of
tree that held all magic in its rings,
The
key to all that happy life allowed.
They
told her of the prophecy forseen
Of
evil come to drain the forest life,
Of
blackened leaves within the lofty green
Of
hardship come, of famine and of strife.
She
didn’t hesitate to heed their call
And
strapping sword across her broadened back
Strode
off with them into the forest sprawl,
Winding
their way along the piney track.
Into
the mists, that peace might be restored
She
went with them to meet the fairy lord.
She
went with them to meet the fairy lord
A king
with greying beard, upon his throne,
At his
right hand the queen they all adored
And to
his left, the son he called his own.
The
prince’s eyes were like the bluest sky
The
maiden felt his call with single glance,
An
instant flare of love bound them with sighs
And
deep abiding ties of true romance.
He
took her then to see the magic tree
Within
a garden, beautiful it glowed
And
underneath its spreading golden leaves
They
kissed and sealed their fates, as true love flowed.
The
warrior at heart, now felt the cling,
There
prince and maiden joined by passion’s sting.
There
prince and maiden joined by passion’s sting
But
time was not with them, the threat was clear,
And
barely with a chance for love to sing
The
army of the trolls drew ever near.
The
fairies, prince and champion marched to war
With
armor bright and tireless winged steeds,
And
pushed back at the army as they bore
Down
on the forest home with evil needs.
And
then from out their ranks came wicked mage
Who
sought to drive the fairies from their lands,
And
capture all the magic in bondage
So he
could then fulfill his dreadful plans.
He
drew his darkness, bold and with intent,
The
mage would see all fairies in torment.
The
mage would see all fairies in torment
Or so
he wished, he thought he could not fail
His
magic was so strong, the ground was rent
And
cracks split earth along the grassy vale.
But
warrior, she felt her anger spread
She
cried for justice for the fairy ground,
And
raising sword so high above her head
She
rallied fairy troupes to gather round.
A
magic came right forth, with silver light
The
steel within her hands began to glow
She
was surprised, but recognized the might
Of
good that from the blade began to flow.
Embracing
right, she stood upon the field,
The
maiden had a magic sword to wield.
The
maiden had a magic sword to wield
A
mighty talisman to lead the fight,
And
all the trolls around her had to yield
Or die
upon her blade of silver light.
Across
the bloodied grass she made her way
There
in the centre faced the evil man,
He
gathered in his dark to make her pay,
Dark
clashed with light, and thwarted blackest plan.
A
blinding flash illuminated all
A cry
screamed out and then a quiet hush,
And
from it strode the warrior, still tall
The
fairies gathered round her in a rush.
The
evil gone, the darkness had been spent,
Upon
the field, the mage lay cold and bent.
Upon
the field, the mage lay cold and bent,
Their
champion had saved the land they loved,
The
fairies so rejoiced and then they sent
A
message to the king, with snow white dove.
The
prince rode closely by her side with pride
And
love swelled further in his fairy chest,
And he
intended, at end of their ride
To ask
her for her hand, and felt so blessed.
They
came with triumph to the fairy court
And
prince confessed his intent to his king,
But
all his want it seemed was all for naught,
His
royal highness refused his blessing.
They
had their victory on the killing field,
But
fairy king, for love, he would not yield.
But
fairy king, for love, he would not yield
And
prince was devastated by decree
His
heart was to the maiden ever sealed
And
without love he never would be free.
Then
in the west, a greater evil grew
The
mage’s brother had heard of his death,
And
gathering an army quickly flew
To get
revenge, even with dying breath.
They
came so fast, the ground hummed with their tread
But
fairy kingdom did not heed the signs
Their
guard let down, they did not feel the dread
As
they feasted and drank the summer wines.
But
prince and maiden did not join the ball
They
had found love, then seemed to lose it all.
They
had found love, then seemed to lose it all
When
king had said she could not be his bride,
So
warrior returned home to the fall
Of
passion’s hurts, and all alone she cried.
She
grasped the mighty sword within her hands
And
there on gleaming blade she saw the lines,
Within
a twisting scrawl and lovely bands
Writ
tale of once princess within the shine.
The
tale was hers, she read with widened eyes
And
knew the truth of power from her blade,
And
saw that her upbringing was a guise,
Protection
from a royal court betrayed.
She
rose as princess from her lowly bed
She
could not get the prince out of her head.
She
could not get the prince out of her head
And he
still pined, the loss made him a shell,
They
both could feel the air, impending dread
Clung
to the land, the magic wasn’t well.
The
brother mage had gained the forest edge
And
crept into the kingdom in the dark
And
coming to the garden, kept his pledge
Touching
his magic to the sacred bark.
The
fairy kingdom heard the horrid cry
The
sacred tree it wept and branches browned,
And
all shook out their wings and took to sky
In
defense of the fairy kingdom’s crown.
There
was a deadly panic, lethal pall,
They
had to save the kingdom, lest it fall
They
had to save the kingdom, lest it fall
For
without magic soon the land would die
But
evil brother called his troops, they all
Swarmed
over defenses with lofty cry.
The
leaves upon the tree began to wilt
And
lost their golden colour as they fell,
The
land began to sicken as the gilt
Faded
from tree, and evil came to dwell.
The
fairies knew they needed champion
To
help save them from their impending doom
And so
they sent a herald to maiden
To
implore her to help the sickened bloom.
They
knew with certainty of horrid dread
She
was the only one could stop the spread.
She
was the only one could stop the spread,
She
grabbed her mighty sword and ran to aid
Her
anger swift, her vision clouded red
The
magic thrummed within the steely blade.
She
joined the fight, side by side with her prince
And
cleaved the bodies of the troll army,
The
clang of steel was rhythm to evince
The
rage with which she faced the enemy.
The
evil brother saw her power then
And
saw to strike her at the very heart,
So
gathering the magic of the glen
He
aimed to tear the very world apart.
And
there beneath the dying sacred tree
Brother
brought prince with magic to his knees.
Brother
brought prince with magic to his knees,
The
maiden’s heart was torn there into shreds
And
everything before her seemed to freeze
As
prince fell down and on the ground he bled.
Her
sword rose up, it flashed with blinding light
And
smote the mage with all its raging charge,
Just
as his brother had fell to her might
He
died right there, a life no longer large.
She
rushed to side of her beautiful man
And
held him close and looked into blue eyes
He
told her then how much he loved, the span
And
while she held him in her arms he died.
With
sweet prince gone, upon the floating breeze,
She
knew right then a pain that pierced and seized.
She
knew right then a pain that pierced and seized
And
watched the blight spread from the dying tree
She
saw that love was lost, would not be eased
But
swore that princely death would set them free.
She
drew her blade within his blood and joined
His
soul once more to hers for final task,
And
plunging steel into the ground conjoined
Her
magic with his fairy blood at last.
The
blood flowed strong and fed the sacred plant
The
blush returned to leaves, the golden hue
And as
the sun rose, beams in yellow slant
Brought
warmth and life, the tree had been renewed.
The
fairy kingdom had been saved, but cost
A
prince his life, a love forever lost.
She
was a warrior with mighty sword
They
asked that she be champion for their king
She
went with them to meet the fairy lord
There
prince and maiden joined by passion’s sting.
The
mage would see all fairies in torment
The
maiden had a magic sword to wield,
Upon
the field, the mage laid cold and bent,
But
fairy king, for love, he would not yield.
They
had found love, then seemed to lose it all,
She
could not get the prince out of her head,
They
had to save the kingdom, lest it fall
She
was the only one could stop the spread.
Brother
brought prince with magic to his knees
She
knew right then a pain that pierced and seized.
Pasted
from <http://allpoetry.com/poem/11398798-Heroic-Crown-Of-Sonnets-The-Warriors-Tale-by-Virginia-Archer>
Created March 2014 by Virginia Archer on Allpoetry.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)