Once upon a winter’s night
I dreamed of the sea,
An endless ocean of glowing light
Like I’d never seen.
I took a walk upon the waves
Silent mountains moved
Gently swayed, waxed and waned,
Underneath the moon.
Suddenly the scene turned cold
Consumed by winter wind
The air blew strong, froze time itself,
I heard the voices of my kin.
Among frozen time and silent sea
I could hear the stars
They sang to me music of hope
Great songs from afar.
Loved ones I had lost
Friends that I once knew
Complete strangers sang to me
From a blanket of sapphire blue.
My spirit stood upon that ocean
Face and arms upturned
And underneath that silver orb
The soul within me burned.
Listening to every star
Each had its own song
All had once walked the Earth
Now from its plains they’re gone.
Pain and tears and misery
All been left behind,
Contentment and yet longing
Had now filled my mind.
And still my spirit stood there
Face and arms upturned,
Weightless yet could not fly
The soul within me yearned.
Yearned to join those voices
Add my song to theirs,
To bring love and comfort
To the lost and in despair.
As that very thought
Danced across my mind
Foggy cloud gathered round
And began to unwind.
It morphed into a staircase
Of pure solid smoke
I took a step towards the stars
That is when God spoke
“If you choose to come to Me,
Climb upon these stairs.
But you should know you’re not done,
You’re still needed somewhere.”
And upon that winter’s night
Foot on swirling stair,
I saw into God’s Kingdom
And longed to be there.
I did not go to Him that night
I can tell you that,
Something took my ghostly hand
Gently drew me back.
Wishing though to join those stars
Forever be with Him,
God said someone needed me
I’d wondered who it’d been.
So I drew back from the stars
And from the sky I turned,
Lastly I saw that silver orb
While the sea around me churned.
Falling in the ocean then
Swallowed by the black,
Opened my eyes and saw it was
You who’d called me back.
Grasping my hands in both your own
On that cold, dark night.
Felt the winter rain come down
On retuning from the light.
Lying upon wet pavement
Face and arms upturned,
Remember little of the blood
Remember what I learned.
One day I will go back to Him
Climb up to those stars,
But tonight you need me here with you
Safe within your arms.
Blessed with a second chance.
Blessed with a new day.
We need each other my dear friend
So, for now, I’ll stay.
One of the most popular narrative poems from by book 'A Poet's Life for Me' and a personal favourite. Tells the story of someone who saw beyond the horizon into another world and chose to return for a friend.