Courtyard of Angels

Note: Original Artwork

Courtyard of Angels

In a courtyard overgrown with gray-green moss,

Pale fronded ferns swayed softly in a light breeze.

Broken statues, granite skin weathered yet still luminous,

Lay as if resting upon branches of spring-green leaves

Held out with steadfast patience by the ancient willows,

Silent witnesses to the slow, majestic passage of time.

When, borne upon warm winds of innocence and sunshine,

The sing-song voices of children rose and fell in sweet refrain,

The stern carved faces seemed to soften, even to smile

And it seemed verses of mighty songs of old were sung, as well,

As shadow-children laughed,and played

In and around the sequestered, tree-lined glade.

Shades of gold melded to shadows of silver, as twilight fell.

Under darkening skies a deep silence descended.

Pierced by the black panther's sudden shrill scream,

The night air became thick and heavy with menace.

Expressions of steel tempered by deep sadness

Filled the engraved, sightless eyes, as suddenly

In the graying mist there stood a circle of silent sentinels

Resolving into grim, chiseled lines etched in impenetrable ebon

As the echoing footsteps of soldiers marching to war and bloodshed

Reverberated from the black depths, slowly dying away,

Leaving only the soft rustles of river grasses as thin snakes

Slid through the long pliant stalks into the murky water.

As the first pink and yellow streaks of dawn painted

The horizon, all was still and hushed.

The adamantine features of each reclining ivory figure

Gleamed softly, bathed in radiant peace,

As if serenely dreaming, remembering, perhaps,

Days of happiness and joy, when in the earliest light,

Stone angels rose in glorious flight

With ethereal white wings unfurled

Unseen guardians soaring over a sleeping world.

Reviews

[Quattro Hall]

wo wow wo, i think this was a spot of genius. that dark look with a stand point of happiness or light. A life of a statue. If you watch doctor who it reminded me of the weeping angels. amazing Girl, truly you have felt the pain that makes us all grow. Only wish i knew you in real life now. seems we need to sit and do this over coffee.

[catofjade]

Yo, I love the "wo", and the "spot", valleylarious!! Cawfee? or Cahfee? it would have to be DD-- cuz Starbucks...sucks! (hits self on head, falls over, and permits the four little white mice to bear her most unrhyming, unentertaining self out...until....she gets that rumbly in her tumbly and.....((not so much later))...does her meowl-growl....mmmmice...are nicccceeee) And now you know exactly why I am a poster cat for ADD!!

[Ufi Auttorri ~ Amy C. T..]

The imagery is quite dramatic and lines are intriguing. They pull me onward, as though walking through a civil war cemetery or something similar perhaps. I always appreciate a poem with original artwork from the author too. Perhaps a footnote of background to help subdue my pangs of curiosity?