FLY FREE Beautiful Bird FLY FREE Though it hurts to watch you
Though my face aches for your feathers against my jaw and my
ribs ache to be pierced again by your claws FLY FREE Stretch your golden wings
in the wind
Hunt in the city, the country, the sea FLY FREE while you can Fly free
forever
Once, twice — thrice
you allowed me to touch:
the balanced bones and muscles,
the stiff crest and soft down,
the intricate markings,
and behind the eyes bright light, electric storm FLY FREE Though it hurts to watch you
Though I wonder whether you truly enjoy your freedom
Whether its price is worth paying:
The squarking nest rejected
The distance put behind you
The trail of skeletons and rags
The empty tree, bare branches FLY FREE Though I ache to join you,
launch vertical, play, stratospheric, wingtip to wingtip, matching move
for wicked move, racing, twirling on thermals,
dipping and wheeling,
dropping and rising,
screaming and diving FLY FREE Take your meals
at all the garbage dumps of the world
and all the palace kitchens
Eat each as if it’s your last
And let your shit fall
where it will FLY FREE!
Fly truly free! Escape your remaining chains!
My chains are made of the blood
that runs in my veins and I can’t
get them off without dying.
How about yours?