Sky Bound
To Charlotte
I dreamed of castles in the sky,
Each brick of stone resting upon
Billowing clouds to float or fly
Above the ground and coming dawn.
The streets empty, the castles bare,
The once warm hearths now ashen cold,
My feet crossed rooms raised in the air,
Each brick and stone a tale untold.
I wandered through deserted halls
And perused books I could not read.
Old tapestries covered the walls,
As did the crests of unknown creeds.
A curved awning revealed a yard
In which a sprawling garden laid.
The flowers formed a boulevard
That led to where fountains once played.
My steps sent startled birds aflight,
Their brilliant plumage seemed to be
Solemn, and thus I felt contrite
For this ruined world in front of me.
Ancient statues, browned with rust
Stood vigil out among their wards,
Their aged, sad faces lay’red with dust
Left no assistance to afford.
I moved on to peek inside towers
Whose windows looked out on a sea
Of clouded plains and frozen hours
That stretched on as far as I could see.
The loneliness of that ruin’d place
Awoke me from my dream, but then
I missed the solitude and grace
And went right back to sleep again.
