silent prayer

may this man,
this ruthless man
a warrior with no war to bear
other than the crusade
against his own heart
raising the flag
atop a pile of bodies
the body of hope
the body of kindness
the body of grace
the body of justice

and this woman,
this foolish woman
a martyr with no cause to bear
other than the endurance
of her own heart
faking her death
faking her voice
faking her light
only to disguise
her genuine beauty
and unerring power

lastly meet as they are
see each other
beyond all layers
hear each other
beyond words
touch each other
beyond skin and bones
taste each other
beyond bitter and sweet
breathe each other
beyond time and space
love not each other
but become love

so that these wings,
these folded wings
grounded dreams with no sky to bear
other than the airstrip
of their own heart
bound to a cage of ribs
to a barren nest
fluttering incessantly
like the breath
of an invisible sky
like the waves
of an invisible ocean

lastly unravel and unwind
uncurl and unfold
to birth a new bird
and learn to fly again.