Tayla Vannelli
She flits and she zooms
Her energy is sustained
Lifting the petals of others
What if she stops?
Imaginations of death
Force her tiny body onward
Without her, the flowers
Suffer and wilt alone
When she slows long enough
To sleep at last
Hibernation overtakes
Is it worth it?
Her paralyzed wings
Cause ripples across the water
Earth would tremble
Surely, it wouldn’t survive
Pausing in place
Even in stillness, her wings
Travel faster than the eye can see
Relaxation is exhausting
80 flaps per second
As she hovers at the window
Sacrificing flowers for easy nectar
Replenishing is selfish
Little girl touches the glass
Lashes fluttering like wings
Tilting her head in curiosity
Why does the birdie fly so fast?
Sweet bird falls to the ground
Humming replaced with silence
Little girl cries in confusion
Why wouldn’t the birdie just rest?