I watched him. Broken winged creature. Squirming on his back. Every time he tried to fly, his handicap propelled him once again into a static position. Stuck, no movement. Little legs fighting to turn over the situation and get back to the sky. I watched him go through the cycle a few times. Then I helped. I moved a leaf under him. Back on his feet. I was hopeful, I felt like a good person, of service to nature. But as soon as he tried to fly again, he landed on his back, again. What could I really do to help him now? Rebuild his wing? Would he stay still long enough for me to do this? I don't even know how to build a damn wing. Do I just put him out of his misery? Do I sit and watch, find meaning in the metaphor of nature, film it and share it on Instagram? When I feel helpless with all the worlds troubles, I only have this art. The spoken word, the melody, the character, the colors. As witness to it and scribe for others. Looking at this creature, I do see a metaphor about so many things. Cycles in my own life and in communities around the world. When people are already broken, it is almost impossible to get back to the sky. Back to where they belong, in the light, in love and brilliance. We can help them to their feet, which in some ways can start to become a way to just feel better about ourselves but it won't solve the divide between them and the sky. How do we rebuild each other's wings? After we have lost it in battle, in the wild, in the fight against the wind? And when your wings are behind you, how can you repair them alone? We. Can't. Heal. Alone. #poetry #community #universallove #truth #weareallbroken #wings #backtothesky