The final ascent

Weary silken wings

Stricken by frigid air

Push forth with no small effort

Beneath a silver glare

A wingtip brushes another

A small comfort in the night

And together flies the mated pair

Across the frigid blight

Guided only by stars

Beneath them lies a glade

Mourning the forgotten

Hallowing the made

The geese are privy to all

Within that silven hollow

And so they continue on

Where others may stay to wallow

The sky is clear tonight

And time holds still for a minute

An atlas of freedom and life

Studded by stars infinite

And so the mated pair flies on

As blustering winds turn mild

Tired wings find rest at last

A solace from the wild

This flight will be their last

So much the geese have known

And yet they have found comfort

For neither will be alone

Making one final ascent

Something ancient takes a sigh

The geese have found eternal peace

And in a better world they fly