Somewhere in between
the sapling and the tree.
Not ready to grow...
yet almost fully grown.

Can the young
feel so ready?
Ready to know?
Ready to see?

Can this young bird
find the courage
to spread her
precarious wings?

Would the air give
her strength?
would the tides
bring her hope?

Would her roots
pull her back
and keep her
close to home?

Would the stars
shine bright
under a different sky?

Would her dreams
still come, and allow
her heart to fly?

If this young bird
can find the courage
to spread her wings,
what would she find?
What would come into being?

Would she be safe
in the world of the elders,
away from the humble nest?
Or would the life within her
crumble and falter to her death?

- Stephanie Tomicich -