Healing Of Broken Wings Poem by Elizabeth Padillo Olesen

I saw a bird
hit by a stone from
a child’s slingshot.
And the bird fell
to the ground
wriggled in pain
and surrendered
to her own defeat
to have now fallen
to the ground
unable to fly
Unable to soar up high.

But a caring human hand
took up the bird
Touched the broken wings
Nursed the bird’s wound
Fed and let the bird sleep
in some days and nights, and
forget her flights for a while;
the bird found strength
again to fly and fly
across the seas and skies.