Golden Shackles
We played
Scrabble until the word Bali came up-
and you were gone.
That night
your pillow
smelled of ocean breezes, coconut and
heliconia.
When you came back-
I want to be free.
I built a body balloon
around you
and filled it with helium.
I let out the tether
and you went up and up
and up
to the jet stream.
I released the tether.
A man in a 747,
business class,
saw you float by.
I want her-
he wrote in his day planner.
Soon, you fell and fell
towards the African forest
and into a tree.
A leopard started to climb
up to you
but you dropped onto the back
of an elephant
who carried you
into a brightly lit
camp
with a table, tablecloth, candles, wine
and gold silverware-
Ah, there you are, my dear.
You ate and drank
and awoke
covered with golden shackles.
The leopard slept beneath you
snuffing as though in a dream.
Above you
a taunting helicline made of gold keys
lead back
to
our little room
under the eaves,
and the rain
and days filled
with nothing.
Copyright © Douglas Brown | Year Posted 2023
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