By Martin Falatic
Written 1992-08-23 05:07
Revised 1997-03-19, 2010-08-04

The storm abated,
          and at once the sky was filled with an eerie light.
I watched the scene in awe:
          The sun hanging red and swollen over the horizon,
                    as if weary of its fight against the receding storm.
          The wispy cirrus clouds glowing a myriad of colors,
                    from deep lavender high up,
                    to a fiery crimson nearest the horizon.
          The storm clouds, still covering much of the sky,
                    had an angry blackness to them,
                    as if incensed by the sun's triumph.

Cool sea breeze washed over me,
          as I watched the sun begin its journey into the horizon.
Into an endless void, it would seem,
          the small star fell.
Gradually, I was overcome with emotion,
          and small tears ran down each cheek.
It was as if I was watching eternity,
          renewing and changing itself before my eyes.
I became a humbled spectator of the grand majesty of Nature.

I felt small, so insignificant, as I watched the drama before me.
          However, I also felt a sense of belonging,
          as if by bearing witness to this I gave it credence and meaning.

The sun was barely visible over the horizon now...
          the dark clouds were scurrying eastward,
                    leaving a starry night sky.
I felt a chill in the air now, more pronounced,
          and pulled my jacket tightly around me.
The tears were gone, replaced by a hint of a smile,
          as I thought of the hope inherent in it all.
No despair filled my mind, only a strange peace,
          and a warm feeling in my heart.

Long before this,
          I had given up many of my hopes and dreams
          in exchange for solid reality.
I lost the ability to look beyond the here and now,
          the ability to see the beauty in a star-spun sky.
I lost the ability to trust, I thought,
          and I feared I had lost the ability to love.
I was lost in the storm of life,
          unable to find my way home, until...

My thoughts were interrupted,
          as I felt her squeeze my hand.
The drying tears, her smile,
          said everything.
I looked into her eyes,
          and took her into my arms.

As the sun disappeared into the sea,
          a billion stars exploded into life across the night sky.
The Moon slowly rose from its slumber,
          and silently watched over the children of Earth.

We continued our kiss,
          oblivious to the beauty above:
Caught up in the magic of the moment,
          and the joy within us