A Dream Sustains

Can a dream sustain,

keep you afloat

in a bubble or cloud

bobbing above the

things that can pull you down?

I think it can

if you are willing

to both grab the string

of the balloon or kite

and open the pocket knife

to cut yourself free,

and let the breeze

take you where you’ve never been,

but you have to be ready to jump

onto a drifting cloud

and then again

and again

with no guarantee

of where you will end

up,

but up

is away,

and where there is a will,

there is a way,

they say,

so be willing

to not only dream

and hope and believe,

but take that leap,

for a dream can sustain

whether or not

you ever arrive

at a destination.

I am cloud hopping,

but at this height,

it feels close enough

to flying.

Poem and image ©LauraDenise

Opening Up

Closed
is safe,
hiding, hibernating,
cozy and cocooned, protecting
the most vulnerable parts of you. To
open up would be foolish. And where would
you even get that kind of courage? Yet…

Out there, you may find the chance is worth taking.

Yes, there will be rough elements along the way,

for change in weather is inevitable,

but if you

stay in your

lightless

bubble,

you will

never be

able to

experi-

ence the

rain or the sun upon your face,

and both are worth it.

Poem and images ©Laura Denise

Light Savers

Through the denseness

of the dark forest,

Sun passionately persists

until his rays of hope

find you and guide you

home.

In the darkness of the night,

Moon searches with its beacon,

reflecting on the rough waves

to faithfully remain

by your side,

so you are not

alone.

When the hour is late,

Stars congregate

to distract you with

their twinkles,

beckoning you to

dream for a bit and

leave your troubles on

hold.

Sun, Moon, and Stars

will never desert you,

so when Hopelessness preys

and Demons call your name,

focus on the light,

Mother Nature’s saving

glows.

Poem and image ©Laura Denise

Little Red Balloon

I am usually natural,

only find myself in

nature,

but if I were synthetic

right now,

I’d be a

little red balloon

filled with helium

with a long white

ribbon attached

on a

blue-sky,

white-cumulous

sort of day.

I am light

for once

and colorful,

rising

toward

the light

sneaking away

from an old life

happiness

and hope,

not helium,

lifting me

away.

I have been here before

but each time been stopped

because of that long

white ribbon,

usually caught by

another who pulls me

back down,

but also by

the brick of guilt

attached to me.

Then my hope

of freedom

deflates

again.

Again I am on that

upward ascent.

Please, God,

don’t let anyone

catch the ribbon,

please give me the

courage to cut

my own tether

to that brick

that shackles me

to this spot.

For my heart is this

little red balloon,

and it was meant

to soar.