golden light flooded through the gray curtains,

painting the small train compartment in a soft glow, and

calling the shadows of branches to dance on the walls.

 

my companion laid in one of the puddles of sun,

belly up, purring,

 

one of the two sounds i remember

from that day’s adventures.

the warmth of goldenness touched

my eyelids. my dreams led us to

wherever we wanted to go,

and then i heard an airplane

passing above us,

the other sound i remember

from that day.

 

and from that other day too.

a plane passed above us

in the pink sky,

leaving a line of clouds in its place.

the crowd around me paid no mind,

absorbed, instead, into the rose-colored

lights and fireworks and confetti.

something about that plane, that moment,

felt all too perfect.

 

just like that other day,

i was flying amongst

the gray clouds,

i buried deeper

into mom’s precious gray hoodie,

and then,

i opened my eyes.