I was looking through my notes for some of my bad poetry, but found this this fable I wrote last year.
The Fox and the Dove
There was once a dove who flew at night. She loved the night because it was quiet and peaceful, but she never felt alone. So long the as her friend, the moon, was in the sky. One day however, the moon began to float away. The dove became confused, "Why, dear Luna, do you leave me?"
Eventually, her friend was gone. This night in particular was the most terrible of all. When she flew that night, she could not see well, she didn't know where she was going.
A rumbling inside her started to grow. The dove began to furiously fly. No control. No thought. Only empty air and a deafening darkness. She became lost, and it dawned on her that she did know her way home.
Defeated, she perched on a nearby tree. She pondered these feelings of loneliness and abandonment, and as they washed over her, she reached her beak into her wings and tore away. The pain sent her tumbling off the branch onto the leave strewn ground below, and she fell unconscious.
The next morning she awoke, to her surprise as well as terror, to a fox sniffing her. The young fox was small and feeble, likely lost from its pack, she thought, and awfully interested in the injured dove.
"Don't hurt me!" the dove exclaimed.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Can you find my family for me?"
Feeling some sympathy in the moment, and seeing this as an opportunity to escape, she tried to fly, but a sharp pain in her wing prevented her from lifting.
"I… I can't fly."
"But you're a dove, that's what you do." The fox replied, confused.
"I can't, I'm sorry. My wings are clipped."
"Who would do that to you?! A beautiful dove is meant to fly."
"I… I did it to myself." The dove sank to the ground. "My only friend left me. She was always there for me, bringing light to my darkness, and she left. What is the point of flying alone in the dark?"
"I'll be your friend, I'm lost too." the fox picked up the bird and placed her on his back.
"Thank you…" the dove said hesitantly, knowing this fox could swallow her in an instant.
The fox then began to run and the dove became even more scared. "He must be taking me to his family… oh no! I must be dinner" she thought to herself as she began to panic. All the memories of the night earlier rushed back. "I did this to myself. This is all my fault. I deserve this."
"Hey dove!" The fox called to her "Spread your wings!"
"Why? So it's easier for you to eat me?!"
"No silly! It will be fun. Just trust me."
The dove knew this sly fox was up to something. Just playing with his food, fit for a child. But out of solutions, she spread her wings.
"Now close your eyes"
Immediately after closing her eyes, the dove could feel the winds rushing through her feathers. She imagined the night sky with the trees below. As she drifted through the air, she saw her skyward friend again - but as quickly as the memories appeared, they again became dark, as even the moon in her mind began to disappear.
"NO! NOT AGAIN!" She cried, and threw herself off the foxes back.
As she tumbled to the ground, the fox stopped and turned around and said "You have to stop hurting yourself. You'll never be able to fly if you keep this up."
"Well, I'll never be able to fly again anyway. What's the point? I clipped my wings. I did this to myself."
"You're and awfully stubborn little bird aren't you? Look, I stepped on a sharp rock last week. I couldn't even walk the next day, but today, I helped you fly. It was hard and hurt to even try for awhile, but look at me now! We're not so different. Just try."
The Dove sighed at his juvenile attempt. "But I am no fox. I can't just walk it off. There is no point, so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop patronizing me."
The foxes eyes grew sad. "I suppose I can't help you then." He said as he turned around and trotted away.
The dove watched as the fox disappeared, just like the moon did. "Everyone leaves. This is really what I deserve." She thought to herself as she drifted back to sleep.
Some hours later the dove woke again to the fox, carrying a twig with berries. "I thought you might be hungry" he said, dropping them next to her.
"It's almost night, want to try to fly again?"
"Why are you still helping me?"
"I don't know, I like you."
"You really don't want to eat me?"
"Of course not. You are too beautiful, and probably taste bad anyway." The fox let out an obnoxious cackle.
"I… I guess we can try again."
As the dove ate some berries, she felt her energy start to return, and the fox once again placed her on his back. The dove closed her eyes and spread her wings.
She felt the wind pass between her feathers again, the pain in her wing was still there but was now less noticeable. She began to feel at peace.
They did this over the next few days. Soon, the dove was able to gain some lift and gracefully glide down onto the foxes back. The dove felt free again. She remembered how blissful the night sky was, she remembered the cool air and the gentle light from the moon, without the pain of her absence.
The two broke out of the dense forest and into a meadow. "Look! Open your eyes!" The fox yelled out.
The dove saw in the sky the moon, shining bright and lighting everything around in a dim yet brilliant display amongst the wildflowers.
"Go! Fly!" the fox encouraged.
As the dove rose into the air she flapped her wings, the pain still present but the sight of her dear Luna gave her the strength to push through. Soon, the pain was gone and tears of joy and love and bliss washed over her.
"She never left you, dear dove!" The fox barked from below. "Fly like you were meant to!"
The dove, filled with excitement, danced in the sky, twirling through the drafts in a complex pirouette with the winds.
Distracted with her dance, she suddenly remembered about the fox. "Where are you my friend!? Thank you for this gift, this second chance!"
But there was only silence. The fox had disappeared back into the forest.
The dove flew all night with the moon. Her wings as strong as ever, she made her way back home. She rested for a few days, spent time with her flock and assured them that she was safe, but dared not speak of the fox.
Some days later, she flew back to the forest looking desperately for her new friend. And alas, she saw a family of foxes playing in the same adjacent meadow. She recognized her friend, and as he fell over playing with his pack, he saw her and paused, letting out a sly cackle and a smile, as if waving to her.
There was once a dove who flew at night, and she never felt alone.
Im not good at writing poetry. I will never live up to Dickinson, Plath, nor Poe. I wrote this short, shitty poem I like tho. I suppose it doesn't matter if it's good. I wrote it for me.
There's no reason to fear
And no need for alarm
For I am now living fully
And thus safe from harm
I love a short and sweet poem. I have a plethora of them locked away only for me to see. It's just nice to write them out, the process and what have you, regardless of what others think. I think this is nice and affirming, as any good poem is