First Breath of Spring

Distant eyes on a peaceful face,
Staring just before her feet.
She is still, hardly breathing.

The only sign of life is
The way she bites her lip
When the wind brushes her hair against it.

Just fifteen feet away,
A Sunday lunch rouses laughter,
Joy and conversation between many.

There aren’t enough seats,
She whispered before slipping away,
Anxious for a second alone.

Instinctively, her hand found a metal rail.
She slipped down two steps,
Lowered herself to the ground,

Smiled.
Around her, the air was warm,
A sensation she’d long missed.

Birds sang sweet songs,
Squirrels searched for their buried treasures,
And wild flowers bloomed around her.

She closes her eyes and escapes
To her fantasies and forged memories,
Intoxicated by the revived Earth.

Suddenly, the Spring Symphony is
Drowned out by the voices of many,
The gentle nudge of a parent,

Ready to go? She’s not ready,
She wants to hear an encore,
To dance, to sing, to laugh along.

Yeah.
The wind embraces her,
Plays with her hair,

Always here,
Always ready for one more song,
Just listen.