ANOTHER WING

I SEE HER THROUGH
THE WINDOW PANE
CAUGHT IN A
WEB OF MASSIVE
SIZE, WONDERING
HOW TO SURVIVE,
ANGLING
STRUGGLING
STUCK BY ONE WING
SHE TRIES
OVER AND OVER
TO RELEASE THE
STICKY HELL
FROM HER LIMB
AS I WATCH
AND WONDER
HOW TO BEGIN,
SHALL I HELP
OR OBSERVE
LET NATURE
TAKE ITS COURSE
OR IS THIS
FATE’S WAY OF
OFFERING ME THE
CHANCE TO SAVE
HER, I CHOOSE
THE SECOND –
AS THE SUNLIGHT
BEAMS ON A
DAY WHICH SHOULD
BE WONDROUS,
PUSHING OPEN
THE ANCIENT GLASS
I WRAP A SOFT
TISSUE AROUND
HER AND PULL AWAY,
KNOWING SHE IS
DREADING THE END,
GENTLY RELEASING
THE COVERING
AS IT FLOATS TO
THE GROUND,
INSIDE SHE IS STILL
BUT ONLY FOR A MOMENT
(THEN WIGGLING
AND CRAWLING AROUND)
I KNOW SHE WILL
BE OUTWARD BOUND,
ONCE THE SHOCK OF
ANOTHER LIFE
FINDS A TAP
FROM MOTHER EARTH,
SHE WILL MAKE
HER WAY AND FLY
MINUS THE
TORN WING
LEFT IN THE TRAP
OF A SPIDER,
HE WILL NOT BE
HAPPY WITH A
FAILED DINNER,
I SMILE AS
I CLOSE THE
WINDOW AGAINST
THE WIND,
WAITING TO SEE
SOME ACTION,
IT MAY TAKE SOME
TIME AND TRACTION,
I WONDER IF SHE
WILL SURVIVE,
GROW ANOTHER WING
AS SOME DO,
OR LIMP ALONG
REGARDLESS
BRAVELY GRABBING A
BREEZE, SHE WILL
BE AT EASE IN
A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET,
AND FIND A POD
WAITING IN THE IVY,
HOME FOR THE
DURATION, THE
FIRST AID STATION
OF THE HEART,
WHILE I KNOW
I HAVE DONE SOMETHING
GOOD TODAY,
A TINY SPARK IN THE
SCHEME OF THINGS,
MAY WE ALL HELP
TO FIND ANOTHER WING
FOR THE CREATURES
WE CHERISH,
SURROUNDING US IN
THE BRILLIANCE OF
A PLANET TORN ASUNDER,
THE WONDER OF LOVE
REMAINS.
©J.W. WINSLOW 10/1/14