Poetry for the Restless and Broken

The Girl Who Thought She Could Fly

When she was two years of age, birds were her fascination.
"Look, Mommy! I can fly!" she'd say as she ran free, arms spread wide.
Mommy smiled and was proud of her silly daughter.

When she was five, she was in kindergarten.
She'd jump off of the benches during recess and showed her friends that she could fly.
They'd laugh at her.
She went home and told Mommy that her friends didn't believe she could fly, but Mommy told her that she was always proud.

She started third grade, and prayed for wings during the moment of silence after the pledge.
She'd jump out of swings, announcing that she could fly.
The bigger kids laughed at her and told her that she was making a fool of herself.
They kicked dirt at her, and she went home crying.
Mommy held her crying daughter, and contacted the school.
But no matter what, Mommy was proud.

Years passed, and she was in seventh grade.
She took art class and practiced drawing birds and things with wings.
People called her weird because that was all she drew.
They asked her why she drew those things, and she only responded, "I want to fly."
People laughed and told her that she'd never be able to achieve that.
She left school that day proud of her drawings, not being able to wait any longer to show Mommy.
"Mommy!" she shouted as she got home, kicking her shoes off. "Look what I drew!"
But there was no response.
She ran into Mommy's room, and she was sleeping on the bed.
"Mommy?"
There was no response.
"Mommy gained her wings today," she told herself as her eyes teared up. "You can fly, Mommy. You can fly with Daddy now. I will make you prouder than I ever have before now."
She was taken into custody of by her grandmother.

When she was in ninth grade, she became a victim of bullying due to her childish imagination.
"You'll never be able to fly!"
"Give up!"
She became depressed.

This continued for years.

She'd go visit Mommy's grave every day in her sophomore year.
"I hope you're proud of me, Mommy," she whispered, sliding up the sleeve of her jacket, revealing fresh cuts.
"I'll be flying soon," she said.

The bullying continued, and she kept saying, "I will fly! I will! I will! I will!"
Later that week, she climbed the stairs of the school, leading her bullies, and opened a window.
She told the bullies, "Watch me fly!" as she jumped from the window.

Before she landed, she closed her eyes and whispered, "I'll see you soon, Mommy. I hope you're proud of me, I've proven that I could fly."

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"It's nice here, Mommy and Daddy," she said as she fell into their embrace.
"I missed you two."