Beating in the Wind
By John Herlihy

The gong reverberates,
And so does my heart.
The bud opens into a living flower,
My eyes open to behold a bower.

Steam whistles from deep in the kettle;
Courage displays much more than mettle.
The cream of the moon is bountiful;
Infinite patience is equally beautiful.

The earth’s oceans are vast;
My friendship is steadfast.
The earth floats serenely in space;
Contention typifies the human race.

They tell us one plus one makes two;
We would believe it if we only knew.
Burning coals produce a nasty fire;
Misty dreams doth my mind inspire.

The sea of green grass waves in bands,
To match the rhythmic wave of my hands.
I behold in reverence the distant horizon,
As I wave to greet the new dawning day.

The broad image of the open plain
Often matches the clarity of my mind.
A stiff breeze rattles the ropes of the flagpole;
My edges frayed to shreds from the beating.

Stars dance on tiptoes across the dark water;
Heaven’s ballet sparkling across Earth’s oceans.
They beacon messages to those that see,
As heaven’s thunder signals those that hear.

Nature’s presence sings of eternal mystery,
Uniquely original with no recorded history.
The silence that we seek lies hidden within,
The only sound my flag beating in the wind.