Bark like rough hands, twisting upward towards the sky.
Roots pooling sunlight deep within the earth,
While branches creak like the crying crows that settled there.
Big black flowers of bodies and beaks, choosing the stillness
Until breathing in, contracting, and then, letting go.

But now a line like silk, transparent, loose, and always there
Connecting winged tips to the hard uneven ground.
Free but constrained, flying but sinking, black birds-
Black birds straining towards the west, towards motion.

And us, left watching as feathers slip through the air and float,
Like we have always wanted to, but couldn't, almost-
Perfect. Until re-al-ity sets in. Dampening. Weighing us down.
Knowledge like fire, making us wish we could un-know,
As it binds us, tight, to a cliff like Prometheus, but not.

Endless ground, so hard, taking away magic before we can.
“Honey, no!” Fleeting beauty swooping through the air, too late…
Somewhere. Smoke rises like hot breath, the wanting too much.
A bird. Falls. Chest crashing up then down. Up then down.

Caw-ca? it asks. Caw-ca?