When Thought Takes Wing

                                                                            Photograph by Dianne Woods

Before he could return to the room 

with pen and paper to capture 

the newborn thought 

that appeared in a spark of brilliance 

boasting of its potential 

and demanding it be documented 

immediately for posterity 

the thought 

grew impatient

        jumped up

        sprouted wings 

and learning to fly 

took a few test flights 

around the room 

then it hung in the air for a brief moment 

tilting its head slightly while 

looking down in amusement 

and flew quickly towards him

giving the impression it might land

right on the tip of his tongue 

and lovingly peck at his forehead 

so to loosen things up 

as if shaking the branch 

of the tree from where it was born 

might deliver him the golden thought 

but the thought never landed

and stayed enticingly just out of reach

as if to gift him the lesson

of lost potential

but before it left

it winked at him as if to say

“Faster next time” 

and flew away

leaving him to wonder

if all his escaped thoughts

were landing in the same stark field

somewhere in the night

many miles away.

He quickly wrote that down.

Ken Owen     Van Niddy Press

January 2022