THE FLIER

THE FLIER     wood mobile by Candace Knapp     
10 inches  x 11 inches  x 11 inches   Photo Bjorn Andren

THE FLIER

I am small
It doesn’t matter
so small, in fact, that you probably wouldn’t notice me
if I were floating in your tea
too small to care about
but I am NOT in your tea.
I am here on this earth just as surely as you are
AND I can fly
but short distances are long to me
my wings get tired
that is how I found myself here in Indiana
leaves changing to yellow and red
I flew around an apple tree
and then down to this little creek.
I found a fine cupped leaf like a boat
lay at the bottom of it
and floated through a lazy October afternoon
sky peaking out between the branches overhead.
Tell me,
is your life this good?
Mine gets even better.
I learned to relax completely.
For a little while I stopped worrying about being eaten
just listened to my tiny heartbeat.
Know what I heard?
The Drums of Africa
all the way from the other side of the earth!
It’s amazing what you can know if you just let go
for a moment...
Are you worried about being eaten?
You may as well just float
and carefully taste your own life
it will happen either way.