Moonlight In Her Suitcase

Moonlight In Her Suitcase
© Surazeus
2022 12 20

After the bank confiscates her farm house, 
Ellen puts the moonlight in her suitcase 
and walks down the signless road to nowhere. 
Roses sprout from sorrow of her footsteps. 
Gazing beyond cracked mirror of the sky, 
she wonders where to go next in this world. 

Because she could go anywhere today 
she stops and sits under the old oak tree 
where yellow ribbons flutter in the breeze. 
She wonders if the soldiers are all dead. 
The world war battles are too far away 
for her to hear screaming of the lost boys. 

Small airplane glides across the silver sky 
on wings that flash with power of the angels 
so she keeps on walking toward paradise. 
The chickadee explains why people die. 
Lampposts that light dark streets of cityscapes 
keep watch over people who never sleep. 

Before she eats tater stew in the church 
Ellen listens to opera in her head 
where Tristan and Isolde try not to love. 
The strangeness of the blue sky understands. 
The Irish child who walks the forlorn trail 
gathers blue-eyed grass wet from autumn rain. 

Goats graze on hills above the sparkling sea 
where steam ships from China and Vietnam 
glide into San Francisco Bay at dawn. 
Ducks glide through mist over gold rugged hills. 
Ellen wonders if she will find a job 
cooking meals for the pastor and his wife. 

Turning her face back in cool morning wind 
that blows hair around her sapphire-blue eyes, 
Ellen gazes with longing at the past. 
Pine trees in Idaho whisper her name. 
Weaving flowers in her long curly hair, 
Ellen wanders gold streets of San Francisco. 

Standing on street corner by the fish market, 
Ellen sings ballads, psalms, and Christian hymns 
while shoppers toss pennies at her bare feet. 
White-winged gulls with angel eyes glide on wind. 
Eating hamburger on steps of the church, 
Ellen watches children play in the park. 

Posing as the statue carved by Bernini, 
Daphne chased by Apollo in Elysium, 
Ellen knocks at door where the pastor lives. 
Every clock on Earth chimes the weird hour. 
Ellen smiles when her aunt opens the door 
so they embrace with joy and go inside.