Feather in the Wind

By Derrick "Jack" Corley

 

In the prison yard, a feather

laid upon the ground

where chance had me find it

an impulse pick it up,

and then once inspected

I tossed it to the wind

that caught it with a hunger

eager, for a toy with which to play.

At times to great heights it flew

then would almost touch the ground

up-down up-down it twirled

twisted, turned, and fluttered

an artificial butterfly in flight

till the wind got tired of playing

went away to somewhere else

and the feather's journey ended

as gravity pulled it down,

captured by a puddle of mud

it was a sad end it had found.

Then came to me, an insightful thought

how like that feather in the wind

my own life had been,

and with a ray of hope and prayer

I rescued it from its fate

I freed and cleaned it of the mud

then tossed it up, releasing it

to ride again upon the wind.