Phoenix On The Temple Mount On The 9th of Av

Phoenix On The Temple Mount On The 9th of Av


A Phoenix unseen to the human eye
seen only by those with spiritual vision
this Phoenix lived a happy life on Mount Fuji, Japan
but now was its time to die
It would return to its rocky home in the sands of Arabia
Build itself a pyre nest of aromatic branches
and then cover it with the spice of myrrh
Then throw on some frankincense
and set it on fire
And then consume itself in the flames.
So like the salmon returning to the streams of its birth in British Columbia in order to spawn, so the Phoenix would return to the sands of its birth in Arabia in order to die.
The Phoenix sang a happy song as it flew west
away from its adopted land of the rising sun
to a land far closer to the setting sun
as it neared the sunset of its own life
A song as sung by one expectant to reach Paradise
It was flying home to its terrestrial home
to serve as the gate of entry to its celestial home
As it neared the Arabian Peninsula, it wept tears of joy
but those watery eyes would soon be overcome by rings of smoke
caused by the fires of war burning below
and those tears of joy turned to tears of mourning as it noticed its rocky home had been destroyed by missiles
caused by the bloodbath whose whirlpools flowed between Yemeni Houthi rebel and Saudi soldier
It flew further west still
searching for a new place to die
The Bird of Paradise
overcome by the visions of Tartarus playing out on the surface of the earth below
It flew until it could fly no more
Its heart tried to keep beating until it could beat no more
its song of joy a distant tune whose melody was rapidly being forgotten
The bird dropped down
and down
and down
And fell on top of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
on this 9th of Av in the Hebrew lunar year 5775
The Gregorian solar calendar date of  July 25th 2015.
For one brief shining moment
this beautiful rainbow coloured feather giant bird
stood proudly up on its feet
spread its wings
and sang out its cry
a cry of despair across the universal sky
Tears of blood fell from its eyes
and poured down its body
and then it fell to the ground
and died.
No human eye could see the fierce fire that burned on the Temple Mount.


-A narrative free verse poem
 written by Christopher
 Saturday July 25th
 2015.


Sent from my iPhone