Elizabeth (my first submission here)

Elizabeth flew away on a January day

 

Beautiful birds never thrive in frigid white winter
They crave lush green below them,
flying with wings backlit by amber sunrise
She longed to soar high with the divine wonders above -
not remain grounded with talons clinging to frosted gray tree branch

 

She was a hummingbird, craving life’s sweet nectar
She lived for sweetness, and gave it in abundant return
Her hair was sparrow chestnut,
her soul a crimson cardinal,
garnet wings stretched out, dancing, in perpetual motion

 

She fell in love with a stalwart goldfinch,
and later, a handsome albatross
She was a springtime songbird, trilling and caroling,
and many flocked near to hear her tune
But such is the nature of beautiful songbirds -
they cannot be caged or kept

 

At times in her life, she flew away for a while,
migrating north to distant lands –
her flights were chartered by an unknown commission
But she always flew back to her home eventually
where the Bradford pears and the cherry blossom trees
welcomed her return with their outstretched, flowered branches

 

She had children who fledged and grew
and flew to new nests of their own
She watched her children’s children,
guiding them under her gentle wing,
as they, too, reached first fledgling flight

 

As the winding years of time passed,
her songbird lungs became constrained
her hair became angel white like a wedding dove
and a heavenly mystery beckoned her towards the skies

 

Even love cannot anchor the wings
of a bird bound for blessed flight

 

Today you can look up and see -
past the blush cherry blossom blooms
in azure cloudless skies -
there is a beautiful dove flying high above
named Elizabeth

 

Feedback comment #1: https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/85lgqs/alpha/dw0iy2z/

Feedback comment #2: https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/85i933/alexandria_my_first_submission_here/dvzwmcz/