cat·a·clysm
/ˈkadəˌklizəm/
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.

Annova walked the edge of the heavens
in search of what was missing

He had unto himself a fortress in the skies
Forged with the tools of language
A handcrafted habitat floating in forever
Drifting aimlessly through Eternity

He summoned the Universe and asked for a companion
To help paint the cosmos every night with new memories.

To breathe new life into his creations.
To fill the void with the colors of worlds unknown.

He thought the Sun would suffice
That he could bathe in the glory of its rays

But an embrace would surely melt his wings
And he might suffer the same fate as Icarus

So the Universe suggested Mother Earth
That he might be deeply rooted in her wisdom
But he knew she would place the weight of the world
on his shoulders, as such was her nature.

So the Universe suggested the Rain
That they might rule together with thunderous passion
Over the cast of mortals beneath them
But he knew he would soon grow weary of her outcries
And inevitably drown in her sorrows

Annova approached the Universe again
Surely in all of Existence
there must be at least one
capable of filling this magnificent void

So the Universe suggested the Wind –
a gentle, yet temperamental force of power-
Capable of being Everywhere and Nowhere at all.
The Universe warned that she might one day disappear
But he remained steadfast. He had to see her.

They convened by starlight
sharing tales of their boundless travels
The Moon begged the Sun to stay away
hoping to treasure the moment.

When the Sun refused,
the Moon shifted the tides
and buried the Lovers’ thoughts
in the depths of the ocean.

The Rain eavesdropped and swelled with joy
When the Sun returned, the Rain took his hand
and colored the sky with Scarlet, Coral, Saffron, Jade, Cerulean, Indigo, and Violet.
The Sun basked in amazement.
The Day never looked so majestic.

Annova loved everything about the Wind.
Her mere presence was enough.
He longed for her calming caress.
The way she nestled beneath his wings for protection.
The way she breezed across his lips with provocative nonchalance.

Everything was perfect.
Until it wasn’t.

The Wind grew restless.
She was made to travel the length
of the world to which she belonged.
She was ill-suited for a cage in the sky
Ill-prepared to be grasped
by anything or anyone.

He thought she might stay
if only he could show her his Love
But in a fortress full of them
he could not find the right words

So he bore his heart.
Filled with tears that never leaked
Fragile as Promises themselves.
Burning with the passion of a thousand suns.

It was his only possession.
But it wasn’t enough.

If you truly love me, she said
then you will turn yourself into the wind
and roam the land with me until the end of Time.
And then she disappeared.

He asked the Universe for help,
Not a single star knew the answer.

He flew to the other side of the World
begging the Sun to help
but he was too busy lighting the world
to concern himself with mortal matters.

Annova flew everywhere and nowhere
in search of an answer.
He flew as long as he could
without the Wind.

It was a glorious descent.
A downward spiral ablaze with rage,
fueled by confusion,
as he burned with the passion of thousand suns.

He crash-landed in Mother Earth’s bosom
but she had no remedies for such problems

The Rain took pity upon him
and released a tremendous downpour
– flooding him with relentless sorrow
hoping her tears might help him heal

He looked to the edges of heaven
with his Broken Heart –
shattered under the weight of the world –
and began picking up the pieces bit by bit.

A million what-ifs and could-haves
But not a single regret.