As I rolled on home tonight under those thick hanging clouds...the peach colored blanket that shrouded the starlight and reflected the embers of a restless city sleeping, I couldn't help but slide my mind to that one night the other night when we pushed the straggling clouds away to chase some stars of our own. That cool clear night…that holy night where amidst the barren trees and harvested fields we wrapped ourselves in a torn plaid blanket and lay on the only dry grass we could find. Dogs barked…branches swayed…The train engines rolling in the distance down unknown tracks blew their muffled and unmistakable horns and clicked along dragging us behind…back into our youth…back into dusk at summertime when fireflies sent out their beacons and cicadas called always to the nighttime to come quickly and completely and wash away the sun's heat with its refreshing darkness. There we lay…looking upward…staring intently…lifelong dreams flirting carelessly with each other as the falling stars danced across the sky in elegantly choreographed downpours. I know it may seem foolish, but I could not help but yield to the childlike urge to speak my wishes with silent breathes when a sudden light would streak across the night sky with glorious anticipated brilliance. I wondered if you were dreaming too. I made my wishes…one by one…below a whisper's sound lest they escape my reach. Perhaps they never even took the shapes of words but come out only as deep breathes of forgotten hopes. I wondered if you were dreaming too. The breeze blew…the clouds fled…the wolves began to howl. Your imagination began to get the better of you, and you asked if we could go. I wondered if you were dreaming too.
 
As I rolled on home tonight…you sleeping in your bed…I listened to my song that I had  not heard in a long while…that wondrous song…that sacred song that spoke to me without words so many years ago as I sat by that crystal lake under the moonlight …that cool clear night…that holy night. No words…no sermon…but the piano prophesied and the flute foretold with startling clarity of a Love to be in an age to come. With an outstretched shrouded arm made visible only by the moon, the oracle carefully pointed the way across the waters into a time unknown and place unseen. She spoke of dreams…she spoke of trials…she spoke of an adventure unmatched. In a spell and swoon, I could not but listen and have the vision burned into my soul. There it stayed...unmoving…undaunted…for years. As I drove on, I listened to that song again…that wondrous song…that scared song…to see if it by its magic could point the way again to the light that I seek…to show me the way…to tell me left or right. I had not been able to listen to that song in a while for my fear. Fear of joy and fear of sadness. Fear of hope and fear of despair. Fear of gain and fear of loss. Fear of love and fear of hate. But on this night…this cool clear night…this holy night…I choose to look beyond my fears and press on into the night. I choose to open my eyes and see what I may and pull closed my winter coat and press on into the night.
 
As I rolled on home tonight under those thick hanging clouds...the peach colored blanket that shrouded the starlight and reflected the embers of a restless city sleeping, I know I am just one half of this unbalanced equation weaving to and fro in an endless search for zero…if that makes any sense to you. I don't see the end and I don't know the way and I can't promise success, but I am here. And I will pull closed my winter coat and press on into the night…seeking always the dawn's first light. No stars to be seen tonight…the clouds will not have it any other way, but I know  they are still they in the distance dancing their dance and shooting across the sky in their elegantly choreographed downpours. I think of you, sleeping gently in your bed, and I smile.  And I wonder if you are dreaming too.

Joel,

That was Miles Davis jazz writing!
Beautiful imagery.

wow.

You have a way with adjectives Joel.

My favorite line... "falling stars danced across the sky in elegantly choreographed downpours."

Very nice expression throughout. Thanks for posting it!

Wow, Joel.

My favourite part is...um, the whole thing. Thank you for sharing.

It's a really beautiful piece of writing, Joel. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Very nice Joel. Thank you.