Linnea Bit the Sun

Linnea Bit the Sun

Linnea bit the Sun in two
To feed it to her owlings
How they were howling
From their hunger for the light

Owlzymandius, quick
Heedless of the glare
Screeched and did declare
“First hatched am I
And stronger too!
By right of Eggder
I claim the larger piece!”
And gulped it down his crease.

Darkness fell on half the nest
Still a shred of Sun was left.

Hootelsbeth, smaller, slower
Grasped the burning shard
Holding it abeak
“Sister you are weak.”
A brother’s sneer
She did not speak

Melting fire
Held her tongue
And filled her mind with light
But it could not illuminate
Her sibling’s fate
Or penetrate the darkness on his brow.

In wonder she stared
At the glowing grow
Of ten new feathers…
Owlzymandius crowned
Ten quills bright as gold
Aglow yet cold
Strong as spears and sharp
As if tempered with greed
and honed with ambition.

“‘Tis a sign
Of right divine.
All who see
shall take the knee
and know this realm is mine”

“Come now sister
Such a quiet bird
Have you no word?
Will you not part your beak
And speak your love to
Your brother, king and master?”

Hootelsbeth held
The shard of Sun
Mindful not to scorch her tongue
And spoke
And her words were strong
Though her beak was still
And her mind was free
To test her brother’s will.

“Fly upon your quest
But do not rest
you will grasp
but will not hold
Shadow! You are not bold
Battles of deceit you’ll win
But their comfort will be thin
And your heart will wither in the darkness of your wake”

“Sister you defy me?
Silent once, but now decry me?”
Menace filled his voice
“Think upon your choice
Darling sibling
You ruffle my plume”

“I speak only truth
No better, no worse
My verse is my shield
I will not yield
And what meager light I may spread
Shall root in warm hearts
Blossoming light
Inner vessels burning with fire
That your shadows cannot quench”

Owlzymandius’ wings
were terrible things
Spreading darkness
As he rose from their hatchling home

Hootelsbeth tears
Cooled her cheek not her fears
Nor the fire
She held in her beak

And Linnea came to the nest
Gave the owl-child comfort and rest
And dreams of bell flowers
And a power to restore for
Her ordeal had been sore
And soon would be more

In the coolness of night
Hootelsbeth woke without fright
Almost dropping the ember
Of Sun she remembered

And Linnea smiled
“It’s time my child
From this nest you must rise
and follow in his festering wake
Love, Hope and Truth you will take
Born of terrible choice
Trust the fire of your voice
And fly”

___

by Doodleslice 2014-01-16