The Castle
Tales, Poems and Legends

The plane sits on a Chicago runway. It has been there for an hour now, filled with passengers, waiting to be cleared for flight to New York. The intercom clicks on. “Well folks,” the captain starts, “it may be a tiny bit longer, but I think they’ll wrap it up soon.” An hour passes. “Hello, this is the cap’n again. Uh…looks like we’ll be here for a decent stretch of time, so you can unbuckle your seatbelts now.” Another eternity drags by. Finally the captain comes over the intercom. Does he bring the hopeful message? “This is the cap’n again. Make yourself comfortable, folks.” Passengers sigh and settle back in their chairs. The poet peers out the window toward the sky. When would they soar above those clouds?

As the winter lingers, many of us have been looking skyward, hoping to catch of flake of a snow or the first sign of the clouds withdrawing, of the endless rain and cold departing. Senior David Urbach brings to the Castle’ hall his majestic poem of the skies…

The King of the Sky
by David Urbach

Vast the plain of snowy fleece,
Of ravens, eagles, swans and geese;
Above the plains and wintry trees
And purple mountain majesties.

Canvas of the Great Divine,
Supernal Hall where angels dine,
Land of dreams and airy brine,
Cotton graced with silver line.

Who rules this realm above the world
Of remnant stars so tightly curled?
Whose banners fly with pride unfurled
In winds on towers silky, pearled?

No distant pagan god of old
Without the power to break the hold
Of earth’s low fallen sinful folds
Can rule this land, so cold, so bold.

Not a mystic ganglion
Of various souls diffused in one
Could sculpt that glory so well-done;
Cause it to shimmer, sparkle golden.

It must be One yet greater still
Whose Word commands the sun to fill,
With royal hues and guided skill,
The sky, until it pleases His will.

“Leal Amistad”
By Alx Bear

Una leal amiga sabe llevar la balanza entre lo que dice lo que quieres oir y lo que necesitas oir,
Ella sabe traer la sopa cuando estás enferma y las flores cuando estás triste,
Ella asiente contigo cuando ella sabe eres erróneo,
Ustedes saben llamar una a la otra en sus fanfronadas y terminan las frases de la otra cuando se necesita,
Ella es alguien para llamar después de la ruptura embrolla y alguien para llamar hasta a las tres horas por la manana,
Ella va a las extensiones imposibles para encontrar el regalo perfecto por tu cumpleanos.
Una leal amiga es poco frecuente
Sabes tienes una leal amiga cuando ambas
Hacen todas cosas por la otra
El amor y el sacrificio compiesan la leal amistad.

“Loyal Friendship”

A loyal friend knows how to keep the balance between what she says and what you want to hear and what you need to hear,
She knows to bring soup when you are sick and flowers when you are sad,
She agrees with you when you are wrong,
You know to call each other with your triumphs and you finish the other one’s sentences when need be,
She is someone to call after a break up and someone to call even at three in the morning,
She goes to impossible lengths to find the perfect present for your birthday.
A loyal friend is hard to find
You know that you have a loyal friend when you both
Do everything for the other one
Love and sacrifice make a loyal friend.