Papillon

final hour | break
plunge our eyes into the sea
finally warm enough
chest risen | breathe
through this chosen space
breathe again
slightly | clouding
the air on which we survived
shake us nevermore
earth paved over | run
away from haunting doubts
prepare our wings swiftly
hollow our wombs | black
void through sunshine’s voice
three long blinks
brightly | burning
over the ocean
sweet opal sublime
fly us high | lift
scatter us across the sky
created to love
revive | circulate
heads with halos
crowns with memories
heavy | grounding
lower the gates
rush us through
we’ve no time | live

— and when we make it out of the fire | bury our wings in the ground | for those who fought to fly