I am a Bird

I am a bird.
Dear God. I suddenly realize
I am not bound to this life.
My life is Your Life. And while I try
to keep steady on my feet, You bid me
to take wing.

I must fly season into season, never to retrace
my way. Blindly I do as I must,
for I will die if I stay.
You feed me with challenge and
force me to drink the unknown.

I sleep on uncertainty and surrender myself
to eternal ignorance, for all that I know
becomes old when it comes time to fly.

I am forever taking that first step, that fly or
die first step.

I will never get used to that feeling, and You
do not want me to either.

Karen M. Zedler
1977