The Wish

What would you ask for
if you were granted 
one wish?

To be invisible,
he said.
I imagined myself
clear cellophane
crinkling at the corner of the room
listening listening
drifting behind my enemies
and listening.
It seemed so deceitful
worse than a hollow man
to be a cellophane doll.

I would walk the streets
rustling leaves
no-one would step out of my path.
If I smiled at my love
I would see no flowering in his eyes.
I would not like to be invisible.
How can you be sure
you exist
if no-one acknowledges
your existence?

What would you wish for,
then? he asked.

To fly,
I said, and saw wide
the curved landscape
dip as it unrolled
horizon blue and arched
and I felt wind
pull at my wings.

I could have lifted
my red eye
to the sun
dropped past the 
wind
daring my wings to melt