Construct Cup V 2.0

Seplechre

A caged bird
stands on the grave of dreams forgotten
in mourning mists or discarded, disbelieving, into the darkness
where hearts harden. She stands there, shedding
feather tears for all those below the mountain
the grave has become.
A tear catches but a hint
of morning in the midst of chaos.
One lone note is wrenched
from deep within her soul,
carrying her essence, up and out into the dawn:

a warble has escaped,
broken free.
The leaves shake and a
phalanx of throats start to vibrate.
First a lark breaks; then the phoenix flies.
A newborn child cries and her first wish
is granted: she is given breast to suck.
It is the beginning. From within
the dreamseed escapes and the music soars,
rising in flight: shattering the silence
enshrouding the grave of dreams.

A caged bird stands on the grave
of the grave of dreams,
listening in awed disbelief
to the symphony;
hearts, like spring butterflies,
dance across the horizon, blocking the clouds.
Talons, polished smooth
from gouging against impenetrable hatreds and fears,
touch not iron nor steel,
but loam and forest floor.
The cage has melted away,

but fear still keeps
prison bars
padlocked to head-strings.
Around the golden-bird beat freed flites
calling her, urging her,
sending her, at last, surging:
she circles three times 'round
the king
before landing to nest
in his crown.




Prompt for: June 25, 2014
Subject or Theme: Start your poem with: a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams (From Maya Angelou's poem Caged Bird http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178948)
Word(s) to Include: Crown, silence
Forbidden Word(s): Beak, death, hope, sing, song, wing,
Additional Parameters: Minimum 16 lines. Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title.




Fyn

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