i feel a wounded bird
flailing in your presence.
scared near death
a dark shadow cast
as you cover the sky.
and if you were to pick me up too soon
i might not accept your kindness.
i wouldn’t believe
that a safer place
a quiet place
is where you’d move me.
nor a firm grasp
would lead me
to the sanctuary
or to my demise.
and if ever a time
i needed to escape
it’d be near.
if ever a time i needed to fly
this would be it.