birds

she looked at me like i was an exit
when all i wanted was to get inside
there was escape in her eyes
and roots in mine
we collided in the sparkle, mistaken
i was ready to build a nest, twigs
and branches and colorful threads collected
she didn’t notice because she was
tracing flight plans in the sky
and when she landed against my breast
exhausted from the dreaming
her eyes closed without noticing
the home i was growing around us

then a season came when the air felt right
and she perched along the edge of our nest
singsonging that it was time to fly
i looked around at the work i would leave

with fear fluttering, i looked into her eyes
and through the sparkle
i saw that it was there
my roots had grown

so when she flew
i followed.