The stars are out tonight.
A cold February night.
The streetlights flicker, and I can see my breath escape my lungs into the cold night air.
Light me home. Light me home.
The silence, broken by the occasional taxi racing up the street,
or a shout from a street over.
Don’t you know people are trying to sleep?
I feel an old soul song story stir,
my feet lifting from the pavement,
lights shining everywhere.
I hear Mavis Staples.
I hear Steven Tyler.
I hear Al Green.
The Rolling Stones’ backing singers
from Shine a Light:
King.
Greene.
Fields.
Kirkland.
Raising their voices,
an earthy acoustic guitar playing,
a voice rising up from inside me:
Rise up.
Rise up.
Bassline hits.
Drums sound like truth.
Keys to the universe.
I close my eyes,
and I’m flying.
(c) Paul Andrew Sneddon
