off the ledge

Thalia’s strong arches propel her from the rocks. Her bare feet crunch spent leaves blanketing an escaped daffodil. “Re-peeeet after me! I AM WILD!”

Urania and Calliope share a suspicious glance before proclaiming, “YOU are wild!”

“I seeeeeeeh-d — RE_PEET! — — — I — I — I AM!”

Nią scowls.

Calliope’s fingers shred fresh blades of grass.

“C’mon now —” Sunlight sparkles on Tal’s face, “I AM A WILD AND GLEEFUL THING!”

“I am a wild and gleeful thing,” Cal and Nia mumble.

Thalia winks. “You can do better. Again.”

“I am a wild and gleeful thing!”

“Good.” Tal claps. “Now — I BELONG EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE!”

Nią squints.

Cal coughs.

“I belong everywhere and nowhere,” the duo whispers.

Thalia raises her brows and shakes tail like a frisky red squirrel. “Again. With con-viik-shun!”

“I belong everywhere and nowhere!”

The trio clasps hands.

“WE BELONG — everywhere and nowhere. We are free.”

You are only free when you realize you belong no place - you belong every place - no place at all.
The price is high.
The reward is great.
~ Maya Angelou

You

You are a wild and gleeful thing,
nudged by lavish grace
towards all the astonishments,
and nothing can stop it
or you.

You are not a mistake.
The earth aches for your singular life,
for the miracle radiance
of purely, specifically
you.

The shakings and the dark noises
of a man-made world
cannot compete with your hallelujah blood,
your hosanna spirit,
or with the gentle fury of hope.

Gideon Heugh, Devastating Beauty, 2018