Notes on a Big Sky

(Skies such as this are very rarely seen here in the UK).

Some of the thinner clouds drift like smoke,
slowly a macabre skeletal hand forms
and tries to grasp this smoke
but without success, 
the hand dissipates haphazardly
dispersing into the smoke.

From the south, a rumpled sheet gradually billows into view
a translucent titillating gossamer that settles briefly
to the contours of an ethereal recumbent lady
three miles in width, an unfathomable wraith.

To the north foaming breakers crash across the horizon trees
then become immense feathers of a large stately bird
which coasts across the clear blue
persistently worried by two white doves.

Criss-crossing the scene
frequent airplane bullet zips rake lean stripes
before bloating into corkscrew spirals
leaving white ink spots to pock and splash the blotting paper sky.

© Graham Sherwood 07/2018