There, among those Ruby Spires
stood I, a-gazing toward the mist
red winds cut skin, heaven-kissed
much too cold for hellish fires …
worlds and suns behind us, then
a wormhole spin had swallowed us
the joys of youth so turned to dust
for ours, the sake of gloried men
in such an odyssey, we crossed
three galaxies and matter, dark
to find a rare and conscious spark
of life, (yet lives are what it cost)
tho' I, their peerless proxy, was
I deemed no debt to human kind
and so that conflict there, did bind
that pact of ancient alien cause …
my own, a naught-but-violent race
had found these beings far from home
and sought to then rewrite their tome
with our corrupt and vain disgrace
yet 'fore we could our ruin, spread
that planet's microbe chaperones
wreaked mortal plague on us, alone
'til naught but I, was cold and dead
so then, those sentient souls and I
did journey up from mountain's base
until we’d reached a jagged face
with crimson columns to the sky!
to every side, save one, we saw
for endless breadth, a ruby sphere
vermilion glows, both far and near -
that wondrous planet's crystal maw!
the sparkling slopes of gemstone red
that slanted downward, out of sight
were being swallowed by the night
and yet, no trail had shown ahead …
hence, far too late to turn around
we gave our mortal fate its due
one stunning red, exquisite view
that only our blessed eyes had found
such dazzling visions we beheld
that far exceeded all we’d known
that held us, transfixed as a stone
a yearning that could not be quelled
the colors challenged conscious thought
with lights and angles, inconceived
such iridescence ne’er believed
were we not witness on that spot
through misty, opalescent glows
refracting hues beyond compare
prismatic sparkles here-and-there
and dancing flakes of scarlet snow!
rainbow shafts of glist’ning light
swirling phosphorescent sprays
shimmered tints in broad displays
that flashed and faded out of sight!
palette shades we'd never known -
reflected beams from crystal shards
the wondrous muse of godly bards
were blessings, ours, and ours alone
such vistas words can ne'er construe
a beauty language won't appease
that brought us, weeping, to our knees
and found us shaken, thru-and-thru
the breathless joy that view inspired
was paid for with our souls, you see
our covenant made, to wander, free
forever … ‘midst those Ruby Spires.
©® Tanmoy
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