Borne Aloft By My Will Alone Poem by Mangesh Sonawane

I can't wait for my wings to grow
So that I may take off into the heavens
And never look back upon the earth.
As I soar beneath those fluffy clouds,
Feel the cool wind through my hair,
The slipstream tugging at my toes
Icy vapor dampening my clothes...

I can't wait for my wings to spread
Across their full feathery expanse.
Their strength beckons to me, and makes light
The burden upon my shoulders
As I shrug off my petty worries and embrace
Unending freedom, to infinity and beyond
Limited only by my imagination.

I can't wait for my wings to rise
From the nubs where my arms reach out
Craving for someone to love and trust,
A pretense of joy betrayed by hollow leaps
That do nothing to ease away
The pain of having them torn apart
Feather by feather, from their roots.

But all hope is in vain, for I have lost
The comfort of the skies above,
The feeling of unadulterated joy
And freedom that knew no bounds.
Yet I can only hope, for hope
That someday, they just might grow back
For without hope, I am just a shell.

And I can hope to fly again someday
Beyond the red evening horizon
Towards the reddening sun that waves
A reassuring red glow, that hope is still
Very much alive. For those who hope
For something more than just an empty promise
I promise you I will fly again...

Alas my wings shall never spread again
Never again will I ride the wind, in the sun,
Never to touch the crown of god,
But a promise made is a promise kept
And I shall find a way, somehow
Without the aid of wings, or winds
Borne aloft by my will alone.

Borne aloft by my will alone.