The bullet pierced the breast in flight
In plummet, life has traded light
For darkness as the feathers fall
It never touched the ground at all
But somewhere on the journey down
Relinquished fate and slipped away
‘Tis better to be killed midair
Than caged upon the ground in bars
Or traded for the songs you sing
Without the use of heart or wing
I would much rather die in love
Than live as though it’s not enough
vampireweather 
Ohhh! Your second stanza is wonderful, VW! It is a masterful collection of thoughts.
Thank you, Angela!
This one touched my heart and as Angela said, the second stanza! Beautiful!
I am grateful you feel that way, Autumn!
Beautiful! 🙂
thank you, Stuart. I am thankful you took time to stop by my work!
“I would rather die in love…”. Yes. So well expressed.
It is a strong sensation in my mind
Ahhhh….this is deeply resonating…I agree and feel with you whole heartedly…
Celeste
Thank you, my friend!
Beautifully done as always. I must have sneaked into your thoughts lol. I have one a similar title that I’m just about to post. But I’m afraid it doesn’t have the flair with which you write. Your work is breathtaking!
They say great minds think alike! I would be honored to think my mind was near your brilliance 🙂
I agree with your beautiful poem, I hate to see anything in a cage. Even humans get cage it is just that that the bars and chains are invisible.
Perhaps we were never meant to be tame 🙂
Absolutely marvelous..yes the caged bird does sing but her soul dies ever second breathing dreaming of the love she had had,of the wings and her proud flight of freedom….
beautiful the deathwish of the caged soul
“beautiful the deathwish of the caged soul”
You cut straight through to the heart of the poem.
A wonderful quote. Is that a reference to something in particular?
A lovely thought Soma! Thank you
I love this. It made me cry but in a very good way.Thanks, VW 🙂 Really touched me, especially that last note of poignancy. We are kindred hearts, I swear.
Thank you so much. I actually changed it before I posted. My original ending was:
“I would much rather have died in love
Than live as though it’s not enough”
I changed it to reflect a bit more hope. I am grateful that you share it with me 🙂
🙂
great way to end this piece 🙂 nice 🙂
Thank you, ma’am 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
Hello, old friend! Your words have been missed!
I”d rather die going at full tilt
Than of a slow and painful wilt
If living bold
Means not getting old
Then it’s a choice I”ll have to make
If it’s life that kills me in the end
Did I really truly die?
If its love that stakes my heart
Then I’ll have no reason to cry
Andrea xxx
A wonderful collection of thoughts, Andrea. It is good to see you back 🙂
HOW YOU DOING TALENTED ONE 🙂
!!!!
EVERYTHING YOU WRITE IS GORGEOUS 🙂
FACE THE MUSIC 🙂
CAT 🙂
I am still doing 🙂 Thank you!
GOOD 🙂
Great metaphor – ’tis better to die loving fully, than to have one’s heart kept in a safe (but stifling) cage. Wonderfully done once again, VW!
I am thankful you feel that way, Betty!
This is a very touching poem VW and one that we should all perhaps take note of more.. I know I was so touched once upon a time by a picture of a Gun Dog and a brace of Ducks which had been shot.. This brought home to me how we often do not concider the bird or animals point of view as we kill to eat or just shoot for hunting sports… So I too once upon a time wrote a poem on the Birds view of being shot and seeing his mate plummet down… As birds often mate for life.. You can view if you wish my own poem here http://wp.me/p16xW7-41
Love and Light my Friend, your heart is indeed full of Light! and Love.. ~Sue xx
Thank you for sharing that. I will go immediately and read it!
This one just pierces my heart! I cannot imagine living as though love were not enough! What a tin-woman I would then be! Being a lifelong bird watcher and lover, I, too, feel that it is far better to die mid-flight than live in a cage! I want to fly and then just drop, do I!
Yes indeed! A tin person is quite a cold and hollow person. I know all too well. Thank you my friend!
This is a very big WOW! Phew…you grabbed my soul…
Wow, thank you so much! 🙂
beautiful, and heartfelt, I love the second stanza specially on this part… I would much rather die in love….Than live as though it’s not enough…. amazing…
Thank you so much 🙂
When loves arrow strikes
the love that is generated
fills the cup of life and is
never drained…
Life is Love and Love is Life…
Be well my great friend 🙂
Androgoth
True words, my friend. Thank you
took me a bit to come back….and read
your energy seeps into these words and
you lay exposed as you tumble in darkness
and there by some can see their reflection
which is good …..means we still have a heartbeat
sometimes I wonder if I had known
what love was and what it is capable of
I would have ran the other way….
I like your heart VW…..it is one of the
real ones….a rare energy these days….
Take care….
)0(
maryrose
Thank you, my friend. Running the other way certainly seems safer
wish I could figure out how…
)0(
Ah – this better to have loved
and lost . . .
I’m not sure about that 🙂
I love the second stanza as well… and I agree wholeheartedly. ♥
Thank you. It is a passionate sentiment 🙂
Simply elegant!
Better to be killed midair …then traded for the songs you sing, Without the use of heart or wing.
I love the brave passion in choosing a death of meaning rather than living a life without it. I love the imagery in the first stanza too.
“For darkness as the feathers fall, It never touched the ground at all”
Breathtaking! Thank you
Thank you so much for visiting! 🙂
Beautiful words, VW, and your ending is perfect:
“‘Tis better to be killed midair
Than caged upon the ground in bars”
I’m playing catch up, so please bear with me! 🙂
I absolutely agree with Lauren! This was my favourite part, too. 🙂
Thank you, Eve! 🙂
Thank you Lauren. I understand. I have given up on catching up lol