He wished he could fly. Furio Cappulscalco had a fascination with flight. He wanted to pick up and just soar into the clouds. But he knew little boys couldn't fly. Why, he got into trouble trying to cross the street by himself.
He stood in the clearing by the lake, watching the kites dip and soar in the sky above the trees. He loved the graceful movements as the paper fliers performed an airborne ballet.
Furio wanted a kite. But he couldn't afford to buy one, so he gathered things he found in the trash. Newspapers and colored tissues paper became the shell and tree branches were the frame.There was a spool of kite string that had torn and was tangled. Furio spent some time straightening the string and his make-shift kite was ready. He ran north and the kite bounced on the hard ground, He ran south and it did cartwheels in the dirt.
Furio checked the wind direction and he ran headlong into it. The kite seemed like it was going to elevate, but suddenly the kite "dipsy-doodled) into the edge of the lake.
Capuscalco was upset. His "kite" was a mangled mess. The colors from the tissue started to run and color the newspaper. An old man sat nearby feeding the pigeons and watching Furio.
"Your kite needs a tail, young man" the gentleman instructed.
"Kites ain't got no tails" the boy snapped.
The man stood up from the bench and came by Furio.
"May I?" he asked the boy.
The lad held up the mass of kite to the man.
"She's not so bad", the man started, " fix this here, tie this there..."
Then the man undid his necktie. He attached it to the bottom of the kite.
"Here, good as new!" handing the kite back.
Furio looked it over and wasn't impressed. It looked the same as the mess he had made.
"Trust me son, she's a beauty!"
Furio laid the bundle of paper on the ground and walk a ways along the shore of the lake. He took a deep breath and started to run trailing the string behind him. The kite dragged along the ground briefly and then went up into the air. As the kite unfurled, it spread open and took a beautiful new shape,
That's when Furio smiled. The wadded bundle of paper looked like a cocoon, a chrysalis. But as it opened it was a butterfly. It soared and swooped in the sky. And trailing beneath it was the necktie tail.
Furio turned to thank the old man. But he was gone. The boy was pleased. He appreciated the kindness of a stranger. It gave him hope.
Angeline drifted to the edge of the vale beneath Cherubine Mountain. Other souls had gather there as well. Today was the Day of Ascending.
The gentle souls were draped in white; long flowing gowns that fluttered in the wind. The rugged souls came in deeper hues oranges ablaze and blue and greens; aquamarine and and gold. The colors were fit for celebration.
The angles came to watch the fanfare as the horns sounded and all the souls bristled excitedly. One by one they stepped forward gentle, graceful steps that became lighter and lighter.
The angles pursed their lips and blew to create the wind that lifted the souls skyward. In an upward motion, the spirits became kite-like and soared toward the heavens. Angeline watched in awe as one by one her friends ascended.
It was her turn. Tentative steps drew her into the opening where once souls of her kind had assembled. One step, two steps... Angeline felt lighter than air. Three steps, four... her feet no longer contacted the ground.
By her sixth step. Angeline had taken flight; a beautiful flowing kite, an offering tho the creator. The sky at once was full of kites flying freely. No strings attached.
GOSSELIN'S GALLERY - 3 MAY 2013
ReplyDeleteKITE EXHIBIT #1 - Chrysalis Interrupted
He wished he could fly. Furio Cappulscalco had a fascination with flight. He wanted to pick up and just soar into the clouds. But he knew little boys couldn't fly. Why, he got into trouble trying to cross the street by himself.
He stood in the clearing by the lake, watching the kites dip and soar in the sky above the trees. He loved the graceful movements as the paper fliers performed an airborne ballet.
Furio wanted a kite. But he couldn't afford to buy one, so he gathered things he found in the trash. Newspapers and colored tissues paper became the shell and tree branches were the frame.There was a spool of kite string that had torn and was tangled. Furio spent some time straightening the string and his make-shift kite was ready. He ran north and the kite bounced on the hard ground, He ran south and it did cartwheels in the dirt.
Furio checked the wind direction and he ran headlong into it. The kite seemed like it was going to elevate, but suddenly the kite "dipsy-doodled) into the edge of the lake.
Capuscalco was upset. His "kite" was a mangled mess. The colors from the tissue started to run and color the newspaper. An old man sat nearby feeding the pigeons and watching Furio.
"Your kite needs a tail, young man" the gentleman instructed.
"Kites ain't got no tails" the boy snapped.
The man stood up from the bench and came by Furio.
"May I?" he asked the boy.
The lad held up the mass of kite to the man.
"She's not so bad", the man started, " fix this here, tie this there..."
Then the man undid his necktie. He attached it to the bottom of the kite.
"Here, good as new!" handing the kite back.
Furio looked it over and wasn't impressed. It looked the same as the mess he had made.
"Trust me son, she's a beauty!"
Furio laid the bundle of paper on the ground and walk a ways along the shore of the lake. He took a deep breath and started to run trailing the string behind him. The kite dragged along the ground briefly and then went up into the air. As the kite unfurled, it spread open and took a beautiful new shape,
That's when Furio smiled. The wadded bundle of paper looked like a cocoon, a chrysalis. But as it opened it was a butterfly. It soared and swooped in the sky. And trailing beneath it was the necktie tail.
Furio turned to thank the old man. But he was gone. The boy was pleased. He appreciated the kindness of a stranger. It gave him hope.
SPIRITS IN THE SKY
ReplyDeleteAngeline drifted to the edge of the vale beneath Cherubine Mountain. Other souls had gather there as well. Today was the Day of Ascending.
The gentle souls were draped in white; long flowing gowns that fluttered in the wind. The rugged souls came in deeper hues oranges ablaze and blue and greens; aquamarine and and gold. The colors were fit for celebration.
The angles came to watch the fanfare as the horns sounded and all the souls bristled excitedly. One by one they stepped forward gentle, graceful steps that became lighter and lighter.
The angles pursed their lips and blew to create the wind that lifted the souls skyward. In an upward motion, the spirits became kite-like and soared toward the heavens. Angeline watched in awe as one by one her friends ascended.
It was her turn. Tentative steps drew her into the opening where once souls of her kind had assembled. One step, two steps... Angeline felt lighter than air. Three steps, four... her feet no longer contacted the ground.
By her sixth step. Angeline had taken flight; a beautiful flowing kite, an offering tho the creator. The sky at once was full of kites flying freely. No strings attached.