Fallen Angel ~ A Senryū Story

This Senryu Story began on Twitter with my first posting. @Your__Dreamer picked up on it, and before I knew what was happening we’d begun some kind of related series, and then, it turned out, an actual story. This actually has three main voices, and touches of two more. And I’ve tried to express that in the colors and positions of the stanzas. Dreamer has posted the story as well on her blog, with a different format – the colors showing the author of each senryu. I like both displays, so please visit her site for a different feel of the story. Actually, visit her site anyway, because she has utterly delicious things on it, including a nearly related tale – Syn’s Angel. –M

“If found, please return”

Sign on a slightly smudged soul

I took home last night.

“Fallen, leave her be”

warning whispered by angels

of the soul I was.

Scars where wings were

itch occasionally

faint reminders.

His emblem was she

chained angel at his side, wings

blazoned on his shield.

Heavenly host lost

His mortal coil entwines her

He sees what she was.

Not fallen, stolen

seduced from the choir; captured

His blessing in flesh.

I couldn’t keep it.

Even bruised, souls belong home.

I go a-hunting.

Curiosity

damned. Snared, captured pulled to earth

New falconer’s pet.

Walking randomly,

trusting spirit’s connections,

I find her. And him.

Damned soul forgotten

fallen love unrequited

a wingless lost cause.

Cold eyes glint, watching

a stumbling knight come to wrest

his ill gotten prize.

She fell for want of love

wings stripped, bound by her halo

to serve her savior.

I, too, can see wrong.

And I have a heart to lose.

Both happen so fast!

Fallen angel rise

the mortal plane to scour

a love to cleanse him.

“Leave here. She is mine!”

A snarl and warning to all,

fist clenched to possess

Feral laugh and sneer

“You think high of yourself.” Steals

that which he once was.

I _have_ a weapon:

My strike returns it to him;

The damaged soul – his.

Blooded arrow’s tip

torn from heaven’s embrace. He’s

her deliverance?

Wounded soul burns in

forcing eyes open, to know

pain felt, and pain caused.

Descent and Rebirth

her soul’s delivery in

despair. Grounded. Down.

Collapsed before me,

both hurt. But for each, new paths.

I kneel at her side.

A plea, “Help him first.”

Love’s sacrifice. Wingless. By

Heaven forbidden.

Truth-scarred, bristlling, yet

can’t unmake himself again,

accepts offered hand.

Invisible wounds,

hidden sins. secret promise

for _him_. She is his.

Time for mirrors

vanquished thief sighs, reflects.

He turns to go.

“If we take them both…”

demon’s whisper, suggestive.

Dark thoughts, turning back.

~To be continued?~