Darkness closing all around
Chance of shelter nowhere found
Trees ablaze in red-orange light
Thick smoke turning day to night
In vain he seeks for some place safe
While ev'ry limb begins to chafe
Gasping, choking, needing air
He heads upwind--but meets despair
Tongues of flame dance left and right
He looks around; no end in sight
Surrounded by a wall of flame
He hangs his head, but not in shame
He sees it clear, his destined fate
The Maker planned with love, not hate
Before he spreads his wings to fly
He must do this--it's time to die
Ash descends like falling snow
The slightest breeze begins to blow
No remnant of the blaze remains
The clouds grow thick; and then it rains
Cleansing droplets gently fall
Tiny streams with healing crawl
Erasing blackened marks of Hell
Until it's found--a golden shell
All is still, no sound is heard
Naught reveals how this occurred
As sunlight through the clouds doth break
The Maker says one word: "Awake!"
At once the shell begins to crack
Trappings that have held him back
Through the seams he doth burst free
As full of life as e'er could be
Broad wings shining in the sun
He lifts his head, the race long run
Now in a flash of golden light
He spreads his wings; at last takes flight!
Chance of shelter nowhere found
Trees ablaze in red-orange light
Thick smoke turning day to night
In vain he seeks for some place safe
While ev'ry limb begins to chafe
Gasping, choking, needing air
He heads upwind--but meets despair
Tongues of flame dance left and right
He looks around; no end in sight
Surrounded by a wall of flame
He hangs his head, but not in shame
He sees it clear, his destined fate
The Maker planned with love, not hate
Before he spreads his wings to fly
He must do this--it's time to die
Ash descends like falling snow
The slightest breeze begins to blow
No remnant of the blaze remains
The clouds grow thick; and then it rains
Cleansing droplets gently fall
Tiny streams with healing crawl
Erasing blackened marks of Hell
Until it's found--a golden shell
All is still, no sound is heard
Naught reveals how this occurred
As sunlight through the clouds doth break
The Maker says one word: "Awake!"
At once the shell begins to crack
Trappings that have held him back
Through the seams he doth burst free
As full of life as e'er could be
Broad wings shining in the sun
He lifts his head, the race long run
Now in a flash of golden light
He spreads his wings; at last takes flight!
