Johnny Angel

Is it true you made friends with a giraffe? ...
That you walked right up and fed him from your hand?
That he knew you at once?
That he heard your music, knew your lyric?

Is it true you wrote the words
That set the tone for brotherly love?
When I heard you speak
I could feel the scrape of your wings on the floor.

It’s hard to carry flags and wings.
To keep them from sweeping the ground.
It isn’t easy to keep them
From touching the street.

It isn’t easy to keep them coming two by two
Through the storm
Year after year.
Is it true you are descended from Noah?

That zebras and snakes, squirrels and cougars
Sit at your feet?
Is it true you were just visiting
From the other side?

To walk amongst us, spread color
To reside for a while, only to retreat
Back to your arc
On the other side?