Shedding Skin

the beautiful essence
of flight is
within us from birth
and the only thing that 
keeps us to the ground
is us and us alone

with our own 
grit, will
and courage 
we must 
bind ourselves 
in the chrysalis 
getting trapped
painfully confined 
to our own
minds, hearts and souls
and thus isolated
from all othering
we gestate in the 
birthing fluid 
of self-love flowing 
from self witnessing.

This process
will help us learn 
to shed the skins
that keep bound our wings
but wait before
we unfurl 
and take flight
to the flowers and sky
there is 
one more thing
left out of sight
we need to turn around
find, eat and swallow 
our forgotten shed skin,
and gain the nourishment
of sight and strength
to see beyond
and beneath all skins.

Photo by Jesper Aggergaard on Unsplash