Tom Staudt

Easy

“It’s simple, just lean forward, raise the heels, and off you go,” I say.

What is the problem? Am I special?  

I’m on my way. I enjoy the wind in my hair when I’m flying.

From the corner of my eye, a dark shadow appears. Before I can attempt a soft landing, the darkness fills the sky. Something big is heading straight for me. It hits my face.

skating fast
I leave lines in the ice
a splitting sound
before the cracks
open the frozen pond

The soft padded paw of my cat gently presses on my nostrils. Just enough to make breathing difficult. I wake up. 

What a shame I really enjoy flying.

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About the Author

Tom Staudt lives in Sydney, Australia. He moved to Sydney from Germany in 2002. He writes mainly Japanese poetry and has been published in several online journals. He has also written short stories, two of which have been published in a short story collection called Phoenix Ink.