Sunlight blazes, distant in the horizon
Like a waning love not yet forgotten.
It paints fire in twilight colors across an unbound sky.
Colors which fall and gather in the river below,
Trapped there as the water flows.
Pillared trees and somber mountains
Rise to hold the sky aloft, the roof of a grand cathedral.
And all things living hush
In mournful observance of another dying day.
Steal my breath, arrest my heart,
Hold me captive to that burning sky.
To feel the fading warmth of sun’s last rays
Slip away, become replaced by darkness
Extinguishing the burning day’s
Last gasp.
Embraced and swallowed by near night,
Take me there, there, there.

Biography: I’ve always been fascinated at the ability of writers to stir the spirit using only words to craft scenes and images. I am a lifelong reader, but have never written anything more creative than reports or emails. Taking the Creative Writing class at Aims was a plunge into the world of creative writing. The class allowed me to draft my first short stories and poems and helped me connect to an artistic expression that I had previously only consumed. This poem in particular was inspired by the beautiful painting of the same name by F.E. Church. My hope was to capture the sense of nostalgia for a scene and place I’ve never even been to the painting imparted on me. I can only hope it lives up to the painting itself. I am still very new to writing and continuing to learn and grow. Writing is a daily challenge, but one that I am grateful for.