the ruby spires -

there, among those Ruby Spires stood I, a-gazing toward the mist red winds cut skin, heaven-kissed much too cold for hellish fires … worlds and suns behind us, then a wormhole's spin had swallowed us the joys of youth, so turned to dust for ours, the sake of gloried men in such an odyssey, we crossed three galaxies and matter, dark to find a rare and conscious spark of life, (yet lives are what it cost) tho' I, their peerless proxy, was I deemed no debt to human kind and so that conflict there, did bind that pact of ancient alien cause … my own, a naught-but-violent race had found these beings far from home and sought to then rewrite their tome with our corrupt and vain disgrace yet 'fore we could our ruin, spread that planet's microbe chaperones wreaked mortal plague on us, alone 'til naught but I, was cold and dead so then, those sentient souls and I did journey up from mountain's base until we’d reached a jagged face with crimson columns to the sky! to every side, save one, we saw for endless breadth, a ruby sphere vermilion glows, both far and near - that wondrous planet's crystal maw! the sparkling slopes of gemstone red that slanted downward, out of sight were being swallowed by the night and yet, no trail had shown ahead … hence, far too late to turn around we gave our mortal fate its due one stunning red, exquisite view that only our blessed eyes had found such dazzling visions we beheld that far exceeded all we’d known that held us, transfixed as a stone a yearning that could not be quelled the colors challenged conscious thought with lights and angles, inconceived such iridescence ne’er believed were we not witness on that spot through misty, opalescent glows refracting hues with garnet glare prismatic sparkles here-and-there and dancing flakes of scarlet snow! rainbow shafts of glist’ning light swirling phosphorescent sprays shimmered tints in broad displays that flashed and faded out of sight! palette shades we'd never known - reflected beams from crystal shards the wondrous muse of godly bards were blessings, ours, and ours alone such vistas words can ne'er construe a beauty language shan't appease that brought us, weeping, to our knees and left us shaken, thru-and-thru ... the breathless joy that view inspired was paid for with our souls, you see our covenant made, to wander, free forever … ‘midst those Ruby Spires! ~ 1st Place ~ in the "Applicable Not Applicable Contests" Poetry Contest, Richard Lamoureux, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 2nd Place ~ in the "Write The Poem You Have Always Wanted To Write" Poetry Contest, Caren Krutsinger, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 2nd Place ~. in the "Verse A Favoured Theme Any Form" Poetry Contest, Brian Strand, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 2nd Place ~ in the "Ancient Aliens" Poetry Contest, Anthony Slausen, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 2nd Place ~ in the "Mountains" Poetry Contest, Julie Leigh Rodeheaver, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 3rd Place ~ in the "Fable" Poetry Contest, Nayda Ivette Negron, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 4th Place ~ in the "OK Toss Another One In" Poetry Contest, John Lawless, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 6th Place ~ in the "I Cannot Believe I Wrote That" Poetry Contest, Nina Parmenter, Judge & Sponsor.