A feather danced in the air....


A feather danced in the air
above the sea without a care
for the restless waters that swirled below.
Pure white, as delicate as a flake of snow
but lightly she danced,
above the waves she pranced
out flying the bits of foam and spray.

She danced and flitted throughout the day
and into the darkness and fall of light
still her lifting dancing flight
kept her buoyant and laughing
above the endless waves crashing.

The phosphorescent waves flashed
as they swirled and crashed
upon the shoals and rocks and sand
still she danced over the sea, and over land.

Then, as the moons light softly shone
The feather danced her dance alone
no longer with bits of foam and spray
as she had danced throughout the day.

At last her wandering drifting dance
brought her over quiet water, and by chance,
there in the still surface below
danced her reflection, as white as snow
the moon and stars too, or so it seemed
there from the quiet surface beamed.

Closer she drifted toward her own reflection
she spun and turned for closer inspection.
Closer to this wondrous mirror
her reflection drew her nearer.
So long she had danced alone,
and now this other below her shone.

What was this wondrous other?
She slowed her dance, as for a lover,
then watched as in confusion
below reflected her own illusion.
So close at last she danced
with her own reflection entranced,
drawn there she settled, nested.
Upon the water at last she rested.



Patrick of the QuietWoods lives in the Kingdom of the Outlands, within the Barony of Caerthe.

About this poem, Patrick says: "This poem is not medieval European in form or content, but rather was inspired by an American Indian story of how spirit came into the world."