spiral sands
shift underneath
as thieves steal
her to the sky,
relieving earth
of one more
gentle touch.

bottled thunder
cracks the roof
as her lurid flight
takes her on up.

when wings open
she makes her
singing prayer:

bodies in
parallel
harmony/
rise from
water below/
i shiver in
the easterlies/
fortune find
my home.

fire couldn’t
be brighter:
that precious
something
still hides,
tangled up
in the sun.

birdie traded
ivory shores
for a promised
celestial nest.

empty but
full of feathers.

Nicholas Barnes earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at Southern Oregon University. He is currently working as an editor in Portland, and enjoys music, museums, movie theaters, and rain. His least favorite season is summer. His favorite soda is RC Cola.