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Micro Monday #11: “Paper Birds” by Claudia Wysocky

Micro Monday #11: “Paper Birds” by Claudia Wysocky

I was a bird once, made of paper and thin air
flying over the arid landscape of my soul.
My wings were strong, but brittle
and I knew that I could fall at any moment.
The sky above me was a deep blue,
as if the world had chosen to color itself in reverence
for my freedom. The sun warmed my feathers,
but I knew that it was only temporary.
Soon, the sun would set and the cold night would come,
bringing with it an unrelenting chill that would test my resolve.


But still I flew, soaring high above the lonesome earth
where there are no trees to call home,
where there is only dry grass and cracked dirt.
With each beat of my wings, I felt myself grow stronger,
more resilient. I was not meant for this world,
bound by gravity and time. No, I was meant for something greater.
Something beyond the confines of this fragile existence.


And so I flew on, chasing after dreams that only birds can dream.
Drunk on the wind and dizzy with possibility,
I forgot about everything else –
the weight of responsibility, the burden of reality.
For a brief moment in time, I was free from all constraints
and nothing could bring me down.


But as all creatures do,
I eventually tired and began to descend
back to the unforgiving earth below.
As my wings gave out and I fell towards oblivion,
I couldn’t help but wonder –
was it worth it?
To be a paper bird flying high in an endless sky?


Yes. Yes, it was.