A nighttime photograph. In the center of the photo, there is a long road leading into the horizon, with reflectors placed in sequence alongside the road. To the sides of the road, tall trees tower toward the sky. They are too dense to see to what is on the other side. In the sky, there are too many stars to count. The nighttime sky is dotted across with small stars. The road ahead is lit somewhat, likely by the headlights of a car traveling down the road through the darkness.

Willful Winds

This post is published as part of a personal archival project of my poetry and other creative works. The actual publish date of this post is Friday, April 19th, 2024, but the publish date of the post reflects the original date of authorship. This archival project aims to digitize a selection of written works that exist only in my private records. Enjoy.

Original annotation: This was in the random parking lot not too far from the Colony Manor apartment. I wrote this in the car.


It should have started with a bang,
But instead of sound,
Only light.

At a window facing out,
I stand.
Willed by a force absent my control.

Keychains jangling,
Steps toward the car,
Apartment lights in rearview.

The wind speaks stories:
of adventure, love, destiny.
My role is but an observer.

Thousand-year winds,
Thousand-mile winds,
Transoceanic drifts.

If you listen and if you feel,
See past, present, and future,
Sift through the fibers of your clothes.

The wind retreats to the clouds,
The clouds alight to sparks.
Rain washes the stories away.

Listen to your own words,
Vivid with imagination and dreams.
Impart your own being to the stream,
And you will never die.


Photo by Jake Weirick on Unsplash. Modified by Justin W. Flory. CC BY-SA 4.0.

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