Chasing Amber
R.S. Doad

Unfastening the locks of her rays

She awoke from her blissful slumber

where the clouds padded her dreams

and the night’s comforting blanket dried her tears


With a jolt life’s current returned to its fervor

As the boulders were reminded of their scars

and the trunks of their long-lost limbs

and the flowers covered in delicate frothy lace

of their bygone children swept off by the wind


Underneath her gaze

Tinted with the colors of summer

radiant dripping jewels of amber

lay her breathless martyrs

and the crescents of monster mountains

twinning their snow–capped peaks with her virtuous green pools


Craggy were their slopes and hungry their mouths

But her path failed to falter, as cliff after cliff was vanquished

her soldiers burdened and stooped, daring and dutiful

dug their boots into the raspy terrain


Cruel were her lashes, blinking black flashes

And swarming swords fatal to any armor

teasing, taunting they swayed

leaving luscious red rubies in their wake


Gems which time would turn clear

And embed in their place memories

diamonds of eternal sparkle and perpetual warmth


And then finally the Sun rested its lids

Its irises churning globes of molten gold

and swirls of flowery emerald wreaths

bid farewell to the weary travelers


Who shuttling back to pastures old

Filled with chests of her treasures

the travelers loggen legged and strained

gazed towards the stars and their boards


Yearning for one last glance

Of the basilisk that was her gaze

their cries fell on deaf ears

as petrified soldiers were of no use to her

ever willing to be called back into her world

she sank into her home beyond the clouds