Refuge

I flew a kite in the wind
which then soon set it loose, untethered,
the kite wandered before my sight
failed to keep up with its free flight.

Many days later I found
the kite stuck in a lush, green tree
captive, yet with the wind
it fluttered free, as if a child
played in her cradle
leaves and branches swaying
like the cradle's hanging toys.

Soon the autumn arrived,
leaves dried, and fell
branches shriveled.

The kite remained but only as a skeleton
as if it could not survive
the grief of autumn.

The spectacle aroused a song within me
which I left in the air
hoping the wind carries the words like seeds
and put them in soil and moisture
which then someday would grow
into a green, garrulous tree
where I would receive refuge
when unhinged from life.

Many days later I found again
the song,
from beginning to end
within the heart of a friend.
Though at first reticent
reluctant to share
but the words peered
from her heart
like leaves of grass from the cracks of concrete,
pavements and roads,
making her heart soft
wherever there lay cracks.

Caressing these soft crevices,
and saplings that grew around
I walked into the friend's heart
which was a vast, verdant garden, I found
wherein in one corner
a tree grew
where my song stuck like a kite
swayed, played along with the heartbeat.

The song, the kite fluttered free with the wind
stuck in a tree, lush, green.