The Sky Felt Red The Day He Left
I put in a lot of thought to this little story. The duck never had a name. At least he's happy now.
This ugly duckling had joined the army
His mom never taught him anything she knew
He was then shot down for his love of guns
It was his gun that fired from the one he loved
This foul duck done what he only knew
And hit as hard as he could
He swung like Babe Ruth and hit like a train
His heart never knew of this kind of pain
Growing up he hardly had any friends
He fought those who tried to help again and again
His future, like a road, had nothing but bends
And the paths he took were all dead ends
Pretty soon he learned of cat and mouse
Played cowboys and Indians inside the house
His mom always frowned when they were out
His mind made up his fists solved all his bouts
This ugly duckling now flies solo
Searching anywhere for a home
GPS broken, don't know where to go
He has seven directions they're all he knows
Within he was all he could ever beat
The only sound there was is his heart beat
This pain of his his stubbornly keeps
All this hurt went on for weeks or months,
till one night in the summer heat
He decided to give up to say he's weak
Now alone by the pond near a road
This dismal place he now calls home
The weeds here have all overgrown
The scenery had such a nice undertone
For one like him this place wasn't new
He's been been here before that's true
But not like this not after what he went through
Now this place isn't like the one he knew
It felt far too empty
It was all he could see
Felt like this was all he could be
Of course he'd accepted this gladly
The water foul, the fowl all spoiled
He turned around and then he toiled
Sleepless nights, his anger boiled
He fell down under, he was in turmoil
Alone and unwanted, he went through a few years
Alone and unwanted, he had no more tears
The ugly duckling went and thought he heard
He thought he heard words he had once whispered
I love you, they whispered, I love you, they whispered.
The birds they sang, the birds they twittered
"Like roses, all things will die and wither -
At least, a little bird had told me this last winter."
He believed every single word the crow had said
He thought that what's the use, we'll all be dead
He sunk deeper in the dark,
He sunk and held his chest
He had no more hope
for the best
Time passed him, a whole flock of it flew
He hung around bars, he hung around booze
Talking trash, living in junk, that much is true
He spent nights in parks or alleys, trying to snooze
Whatever he thought he quickly killed it
Imagine the pain of always doing this
Any grain of hope was always worth killing
For after love, there's no life worth living
A bitter bird in the cold city all alone
No place he could call home
With out being kicked or hit or shit on
No family, no friends, there was no one
As the wind picks up and ruffles his feathers
He could swear he heard a soft whisper
The words unclear, the message felt
Some feelings here, and then it left
Somehow he felt better afterwards
There was anger, and happiness
Some hope and depression,
But nonetheless he felt better
Alone, but okay
Sad, and then happy
"If only there was more time for me,"
Before he dies, he made a promise
To write a few words for himself
Ones that renewed his strength to live
Ones that made him feel better when he's hurt
It took some time, it took a while
It came from the night, when it came in sight
The words came fast, and they felt right
The words he found made him cry
The moon looked upon the crying figure
Always watching, trying to en...sure
Him that he wasn't a monster
Nor an ugly duckling
"You're never alone, you'll always be found."
"Just give it time, or some thought, you'll find a way out."
"Feelings are things you speak, you cry, or shout,
Set them free, and you'll feel better, no doubt."
The duck felt himself shake
The duck felt himself crack
The message was too much to take
The message had come far too late
Near the end of his rope, nearly out of cards,
He tried his best to turn things around
He tried to rush to the sun, he rushed to the plains
He ran and he fell, and he hit his head
He reached out to the future
He reached out over the ridge
So close to tomorrow's promise
Yet held back by today's problems
And weighed by yesterday's moments
He reached out to happiness
It came to him then, the words he searched for
He's not sure when, but he heard these words before
Probably from the moon, from the water, from the unknown,
"Until you've nothing to give, you're never alone."
He let out a sad sigh,
He felt his head look to the sky
The duck saw the moon way up high
He looked up and gave a smile
"Old friend of mine, as you can see.
I'm near the end, that much I can feel.
No one's here to see me leave,
So thank you for being here with me."
The moon watched the duck start to sleep
The bird let out a breath quietly
Tomorrow is a place he'll never be
So for Now, he'll live here happily