The Bird of Hermes

The Bird of Hermes

Brandon Lazovic

Reaching toward the sky

As Icarus flaps his wings overhead

Grasping at the sun

The wax begins to melt

Feathers fall to the Earth in clumped chunks

Making splashes in the vast sea

The biggest splash of all penetrates its depths

All he ever knew was the blue sky

Beautiful, yet unmarred, empty

The sky was the limit for his dreams

But it was fool’s gold, he soared too high

Reality grabbed hold with its foul grip

Pulling him forever downward

No fluffy clouds to buffer his descent

No winds to cushion his fall

No Benevolence to save him

Upward was a feathered silhouette, similar to his

It watched at a distance as he crashed into the sea

He thrashed about in the waters, gasping for air

The current and waves thrust themselves relentlessly

Forcing him into the cold ocean depths

Clinging for dear life he returned above surface again

And again

And again

And again

Gasping for breath

Flailing his aching arms to the sky above

Wishing to soar above the world

Having a mere taste of freedom

But his thread had been cut

And with the same scissors of fate his wings were clipped

His efforts were in vain and he sank into the sea

With hand outstretched towards the sky

The same that had immersed him in warm embrace

Now shunned him, taunting him with its brilliance

The sea overtook him, the sky becoming darker and darker

His hand still reaching above until not even the light pervaded the ocean abyss

The bird of Hermes is my name 

My wings were clipped to keep me tame

But falling to Earth seems so inane

Is clipping my wings really humane?