O Rare, the Sky

Blessed ... This was a day unlike any other The sun arose and stole my breath Oh, I have seen countless such day-wakes Here on this shore, ancient, sparkling ... Each one unique and a miracle of color Making the moon blush with a goodnight kiss But this morn there were hues beyond my imaginings and memories And it seems fitting now that it should have been so That every moment on this day be priceless ... Every minute spent here with my love, as perfect as it could be Every smile and laugh and kiss and tear, perfection Each breath an exquisite drama, every touch a blessing And if that is only in my perception, it matters not This farewell to humanity ... These last moments - more precious than any that came before For our eyes behold the culmination ... The death throes of an extraordinary race - a race and existence, sublime That brought to fruition the best of art and acumen And ultimately, its own undoing ... I am content, as I watch the sky turn to fire I am blessed here, in my love's embrace A full, passionate, extraordinary life ... for both of us And there is an incredible beauty to this sky Flaming, churning mushroom clouds in the distance ... And more colors I've not imagined, an intense and powerful image The streaming rainbows of fire and fission Consuming themselves and all that they sweep upon It seems right that it be so ... That the end of man come in such consummate fascination ... And such treacherous bloom ... We go out with a scream and a tremble, not a whisper in the night And I am with the one I love, true and true ... The one who has shared all of life and love with me The one who took my breath and heart, all those years ago ... I shall swim the dark water of her eyes, as I did then And feel its grasp on my being I will kiss her as deep as doom ... While thunder and flame and terrifying beauty Consume us ... Consume all. ~ 1st Place ~ in the "What If There Was No Tomorrow" Poetry Contest, Silent One, Judge & Sponsor. ~ 10th Place ~ in the "Doomsday Clock Two Minutes To Midnight" Poetry Contest, Emile Pinet, Judge & Sponsor.