Harmony (haibun)

Robert Dowling

She looked up at the sky and saw only grey clouds.  “Again, only grey poop on” she muttered.  That’s what she thought of those grey clouds…pooping on her life, her mood, her heart and her soul. There was no longer any light in her life.  She sighed, giving herself a bigger push to swing higher. “Maybe if I swing high enough, I’ll be able to kick one of those clouds and see rain that will wash away all the bleakness in this land.”

“Watch it, little one! You may fall and you sure as heck don’t want to fall way down there!!”squawked the black crow  above, settling on a dried up tree…no leaves, just branches..

Elaina looked up at her friend. He had become her friend in the past year.He had given her the idea to braid long strips of cotton to hang from the twig that was her only seat outside her birdcage.  She now had a swing which gave her a sense of freedom.

She had been disgusted by this huge black crow, at first when she was brought here by “him” but she realized over time, that Cornelius was a product of “his” master plan.  Anyone who defied him or tried to escape only fell into the den of désespérance or Des-Spa as Cornelius jokingly called it.  It was the bottomless pit that lay below…a sort of limbo but Elaina felt it was a hell created by “him”.

“I suppose you’re right, Cornelius, even if you are not a wise old owl,” she giggled and for a brief moment, the clouds separated and a hint of glow shone from the skies.  Whenever Elaina sang or laughed, this occurred.  But it never seemed to last more than 2 to 3 seconds.

Somehow, somewhere far above there was a positive force of goodness and beauty that was trying to communicate to Elaina. She felt it in the soles of her feet. Well, not really soles but she had been stripped of all her clothes.   She had made herself a make-shift dress from the veils that covered her cage/home and with the long strips leftover, braided it as per instructions from daring Cornelius.

“He” had stripped her of her clothes but had the decency to jail her in a veiled insulated cage she could use as bedding or blanket on cooler nights.  She didn’t mind sleeping without bedding.  She felt less trapped this way.  And Cornelius could keep her company when she was lonely and spread his wings to keep her warm on cooler nights. He always enjoyed her giggling and especially her singing in her soft soprano voice.  She sounded like an angel in a celestial choir.  Perhaps that is why the clouds separated briefly…maybe angels thought she was a lost sister.

Somehow she knew if she could sing long enough or the right harmony, the skies would be unlocked…finally breathe hope and compassion…she would just have to be patient.

The Celestial Order

patience unlocks skies

heavens unleash goodness

beauty of the soul.

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/04/01

Written for MindLoveMiserysmenagerie Photo Challenge #15 – birdhouse