YOUR EYES ARE A STORY

“As a small child, I felt in my heart two contradictory feelings, the horror of life and the ecstasy of life.”

 

― Charles Baudelaire, My Heart Laid Bare

 

Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv1vgPrdQq4

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL - THE AFTERS

 

My poem and my picture were inspired by my good friend Heinrich and his picture entitled "The Air That I Breathe".

Vielen dank, mein lieber Freund : 0)

 

Rüppell's Griffon

 

The air that I breathe tastes all the sweeter for knowing you

my head is in the clouds looking towards the moon

high up here so far from all the wilderness

where I wandered aimlessly destined to meet my end too soon

and if you ever wondered if the birds fly high above the clouds

I can tell you that they do; freely on strong angels' wings

I tell you of the story of the Rüppell's Griffon

who flew a mile and a half higher than Mount Everest

he had a wingspan of maybe ten feet wide

37,900 feet high above the Ivory coast he sadly met his end

sucked into the engine of a passing jet

nature's magnificent creation ended by the machinations of men

I know he was a vulture but that was in his nature

he cannot help to be born this way no more than we I can concede

but it is a reminder to us all

to slow our lives down; forget the speed

we are here for only the blinking of an eye

and that's not very long

before I go I like to think

I will achieve some good and find the niche where I belong

So here I am so high above the world where scurrying minute ants

go daily hurrying about their business

the people can't sit still with those little “ants in their pants”

down there I always felt so fractious

restless; keen to get to journey's end

but up here stillness eases and frees my mind

and I realise it is the not knowing what is around the bend

that is the most important thing

not where we go or why

but what we do along the way

in proportion to the sky

magnificent and grandiose the sky looks down on us

we should at least ways try our very best

to do all we can without the need for any fuss

contemplating at this heady height

I put the world to rights

then let the wonder fill my eyes

at the incredible endless sights

if you ever get the chance

or want to run away

remember to climb; not fall down more

get as close to Heaven on Earth as you can

for in the silence that ensues we are reborn

and the slate of past mistakes wiped clean

and I would give most everything I have

to stand here hand in hand with you at once peaceful and serene.

 

- AP - Copyright remains with and is the intellectual property of the author

 

 

Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission'

 

My artwork is a compilation of 4 of my photographs

Done