Poem: "Sky Freedom"
This poem came out of the March 4, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from mdlbear and technoshaman. It also fills the "freedom" square in my 1-31-14 card for the Origfic Bingo fest. It has been sponsored out of the general fund, based on an audience poll.
Sky Freedom
The dragonrider fights
for freedom, it's true,
but it's not what everyone thinks --
not for freedom of belief
or freedom of country,
at least not only for those.
The dragonrider dresses
in heavy leathers, sheepskin jacket
pulled close around his barrel chest,
white silk scarf covering his face.
Helmet and goggles protect against
the flying ash left by dragonbreath.
He climbs astride the great red beast,
four enormous wings providing
the power to climb and dive and bank,
ruddered tail agile in maneuvering.
They take off, and it doesn't matter
that the sky is blossoming with fire,
that everyone is trying to kill each other.
It only matters that, for these few minutes,
they are completely free.