Whispers On The Wing Poetry & Prose

Excerpt

Fable Of The Dream Dancer

 

The sky she sat a candy pink, and stalking the heavens she trailed the scent of a thousand new blooms. And from out of this candy sky the Dream Dancer down she fell.

There was a cool breeze blowing from inside the forest, and the Dream Dancer stood waiting to enter the dense cluster of trees. The fable was about to be set free, but stepping into the forest the Dream Dancer noticed that no sunlight broke the vast canopy of leaves that dressed the bark of stooping trees in an olive haze. No twinkling light danced on the dark earthy ground or cast shadows on the soft spongy bracken. The Dream Dancer knew a daunting task lay ahead of her. Her journey quest lay beyond the frames of the tall stark columns of trees, and so softly she tiptoed into the dark foreboding forest, and without even knowing it, she set the Legend into motion, the fable to be told.

After some wandering the Dream Dancer found herself in the centre of the forest, her steps marked the darkened ground with shallow dips, and glancing upwards she stared through the mass of spiralling branches. Like wagging fingers they shook their disapproval in time to the cool breeze. The Dream Dancer noticed a gnarled old tree stump sat in a clearing, and from behind it she saw a faint glimmer of gold. Thinking at once that she had found treasure she ran to collect her prize, but as she did so she saw that there was in fact no gold, but a lonely Unicorn, and the gold that she had spied was his delicate glittering horn. To her sadness and sorrow she saw he lay tethered to the tree stump. The young Unicorn lay helpless to his fate, trapped and unable to free himself she watched as he struggled to break the ropes that held him fast. The Dream Dancer decided to untie the knots that bound the young Unicorn. It would be no hard task to free the Unicorn from his capture, she thought. Time spun by as she tried desperately to unravel the maze of knots and loops. Moments stretched into minutes, minutes seemed like hours, and she began to lose faith in his freedom. The Dream Dancer was soon to realise, as if by some evil magic, that for every knot she released two more appeared. Laying before her the knots twisted and turned like a giant puzzle. The Dream Dancer vowed to fight the ropes, but as time danced by like and endless journey she found her patience taking flight, and she began to see no freedom for the Unicorn.

All hope now evaded the Dream Dancer and within the solace of her own thoughts she decided her retreat from the forest would be swift. For all of her efforts the Unicorn was tethered even tighter than before, and the Dream Dancer began to walk away. Picking up her speed the Dream Dancer ran through the forest as the cries of the Unicorn haunted her ears and racing heart. Faster and faster she made her retreat, and still the cries of the Unicorn cut like a knife in her mind. After a while the Dream Dancer grew tired of her escape, tired of the darkness, and exhausted she slowed her pace.

Walking slowly the only sound the Dream Dancer could hear was the silence of the forest and the rhythmic beat of her saddened heart. And falling against a tree still exhausted from her escape she glanced through the rough bracken. In her mind she remembered the golden shine of the Unicorn; again and again the image repeated in her head and she covered her eyes to forget.

The Dream Dancer made a wish and suddenly beyond her a tiny shaft of light, soft in shade burst free from the canopy of tall trees. Now as a golden beam it struck the ground before her and the Dream Dancer moved forwards mesmerised by the tiny sparkling light. Edging nearer, the light eventually fell across her tired feet, and feeling its warmth she fell to her knees entranced by its beauty, and as she cupped the light in her hands it’s glow warmed her soul. Glimmering like a million jewels she felt its power as if it was alive. So entranced by the golden light the Dream Dancer let her eyes follow its path up and out of the trees where shimmering it shot free. Such a simple ray of light in a forest of darkness, was to her like a vast moon lighting a nightly sky, and so taken by its simple beauty she found herself dancing in its form. Turning around she felt the pull of the Unicorn as again she heard his cries.

The Dream Dancer ran so fast she felt she could fly, and within a heartbeat she again found herself by his side. Inspired by the light, the Dream Dancer decided that if a tiny ray of light could fight its way through a forest of darkness, then she too could find the answer to help his tethered soul. The Dream Dancer knew she could not untangle the mass of knots, but she knew she could give the Unicorn hope. With hope in her heart the Dream Dancer leaned forwards, and kissing the Unicorn she whispered, “I love you, I will free you.” Suddenly from above her a bolt of light broke through the dense canopy of tree’s like a spear, then another, and another, until the whole forest was awash with a warm golden glow. The Dream Dancer glanced down at the Unicorn, and to her surprise, she saw that he was no longer tethered, his ropes now lay on the ground as dust. And she watched amazed as the Unicorn stumbled unsteadily to his feet. The Dream Dancer could now see the power in a simple gesture. The Unicorn stepped close to her and staring deep into her soul he spoke of his thanks with pictures, she saw many things, visions of now, and visions to come, but most of all she saw love.

The Dream Dancer was touched by the love of the Unicorn, and a tear broke free from her eye. Staring deep into the Unicorns gaze she saw that he too had freed a tear, but it was a tear of joy, not of anguish. The Unicorn nuzzled her hands and then turned to walk away. In the faint hazy distance the Dream Dancer could see a small herd of Unicorns awaiting the foals return, and listening hard she heard them call out to him.

The Unicorn turned one last time to gaze at her, then with moonbeams breaking from beneath his feet he raced to join his herd. With his freedom born from an unselfish gesture, he became reunited.

The Dream Dancer was sad to see him go, but happy to set him free. The Unicorn turned and gave one last call to the Dream Dancer and then was gone. Glancing at her feet the Dream Dancer noticed a scroll tied with a piece of golden ribbon. Picking it up she read the inscription; a poem left by the Unicorn, called Dream Dance.

By Milly Jane Ayre (Copyright 2014)

 

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Dream Dancer

Here before you stands a legend

From a story that will unfold

About a unicorn from a forest

And the spirit of a soul who was bold

A dream cloud gathered high above

Shading a dusky blue moon

Where a legend and a fable grew

To save a spirit in a forest of gloom

There was a stairway from a dream world

And a Dream Dancer down she fell

Like an autumn leaf cast high in skies

She landed to ground by a well

The Dream Dancer dared to enter

The realms of clustered trees

She was not afraid of shadows

Nor the cold unwelcome breeze

So begins the legend of the Dreamer

And the magic of being kind

When searching an emerald forest

And a lonely spirit you find

By Milly Jane Ayre (Copyright 2014)

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