Dove in the Sky — An Original Free Verse Poem

Ever heard of the saying, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”? In life, one must be able to accept change and appreciate the moments that were shared, however difficult that may be. What is destined to happen will happen, so one must keep their head held high and hope for the best. 🙂 Without further ado, I present, my poem…

Dove in the Sky

Dreams of virtues,

yearnings of freedom,

reverberate inside my cage,

as I gaze outside.

It was a scintillating summer day

when you flew above the barn.

I scrambled up,

leaping for your attention.

Gracefully, you land beside me.

We converse 

about life, 

about others, 

about anything and everything.

We found our similarities

and respected our differences.

Whilst the entire time,

the whole world was oblivious to our soft coos.

At last, you broke through my confinement,

setting me free.

I took one step, then two,

on this erratic and foreign land.

The days passed,

with you by my side.

Captivated by your skills and talents,

I learned 

to fly, 

to think, 

and to grow.

We soared across summer skies,

passing over deep blue lakes.

Summer turned into autumn,

you and I turned into us.

All those cloudy days and gloomy nights,

you reassured me and helped me navigate through.

I fought for you,

and you sheltered me from the dark.

Then,

winter arrived.

Frost lined your feathers,

feathers that were once my moon and stars.

The days grew shorter,

the nights grew longer.

I pleaded to fly South, where life was carefree.

Wings clenched, you disdainfully refused.

The blizzard hit us hard,

arbitrarily, one might assume.

But I saw the warning signs;

the frost on your feathers, the stubbornness of your mind.

With the weight of the world on our shoulders,

my intuition whispered to me our fate.

A sudden wind forced you to the ground,

you laid there, concealed in delicate snowflakes.

I dived down to meet you,

after all, we’ve been through so much.

I struggle to find you, even just a piece of you,

amid this scarring snowstorm.

No matter how many times I looked back, gasping for warmth,

you were inconspicuous in the bitter cold.

Where are you,

that graceful dove I once knew?

I strained against my conscience,

to continue flying ahead, away from you.

I reached that old barn

and huddled in my cage once more.

Do not believe my facade of indifference,

for I have spent the months plagued with 

anger,

anguish,

and nostalgia.

The most wicked of them all?

Remorse.

But I know all too well that quite simply, 

this is the only way to help.

Colourless days drone by,

as I busy myself with activities to rise above.

Only time will tell what becomes of us

if anything at all.

Occasionally, I see,

the shadow of a dove cast outside the barn.

But the shadow never flies down to the ground,

it never comes to greet me.

Although you may be long gone,

the freedom you granted is not.

Our memories, everything you taught me—

strength, 

knowledge, 

loyalty,

diligence,

honesty…

It all stays with me.

And for that,

I thank you

and appreciate you,

dove in the sky.

—Chloe Zhai

Source: Feature image