Love Poem: Your Ceiling
Joy Bohland Avatar
Written by: Joy Bohland

Your Ceiling

I remember when I,
red-winged black bird tried to fly
for the very first time.
Wings at my sides 
stretched outright,
ready to take flight,
instinct making up my mind...
Saying: love is beautiful, but this is a set of chains
with a bit in my mouth and the constant pull of reins.

The highest sky 
I could find
was only the height 
of your ceiling.

You knew
my every move,
my every thought,
my every feeling.

And I'd just say:
its ok,
everyone makes mistakes.

So I'd fly around at your height,
saying is this right?
Is this right?
Is this what you like?
And I wore kid gloves until I said goodbye...

I don't belong....under your ceiling.

So I stole back my lost breath,
lifted my wings and I flew above your head.
Higher and higher, higher and higher.
I'll still visit you now and then,
but not for long and never permanent.
I can only believe in me, above your head.

I can still love you
even if you
don't know my every move,
my every thought,
my every feeling.

I can only breathe in the air above you...
I can only live in the air above your ceiling.

I remember when I,
red-winged black bird tried to fly
for the very first time.