the bird fell in love with the tree

The songbird fell in love with the tree.

The tree fell in love with her song.

Her eyes, always seeing the best, saw his deep roots as stability.

Saw his stubborn, stagnant heart as rigid strength.

It was exhausting on her own.

She needed rest.

For that, she needed him.

He loved the music she brought to his life.

He loved the way she danced on his limbs.

A poseable accessory, wings accentuating the deep green leaves.

Part of his collection, jumping to his call.

He told her that she wasn’t built to fly.

Over and over until it became the truth.

Flying was just the means to the landing.

To be safely tied to the earth.

So the bird learned to live in the nest.

She drew her wandering gaze from high up in the blue skies above to see what they'd built together.

A nest so secure, designed perfectly for his branches.

She learned to love it.

But deep down something was missing.

She dreamed of flying, but she’d never survive on her own.

She missed other birds, lonely in her gilded cage.

She missed seeing above the treetops, she missed changing scenery.

She didn’t know it at the time, but she missed herself.

The tree promised to one day try to move with her.

He’d shake his branches like the wind.

Told her that’s all she could handle.

She became part of the decor.

Slowly becoming part of the tree.

The songbird didn’t sing anymore.

Her light was dim.

She wanted to fly again but remembered what the tree told her.

She couldn’t do it alone.

No one would love her like he did.

She moved her wings.

She begged them to remember.

She flapped so hard it lifted her body into the air.

She didn’t get far before she realized that he was right.

She had nowhere else safe to land.

Lowering her head, she accepted that she wasn’t her own anymore.

She was his.

But one day the tree decided he didn’t want her anymore.

He missed her song.

She used to make him so much happier.

She was too much work compared to his other toys.

The songbird was shaken out of the tree.

She landed on the ground with a thud.

Abandoned.

Shattered.

Silent.

Her wings were too tired.

The ground was too cold.

No one would save her.

But she could always hop her way home.

She could rest her heart.

Rest her voice.

She could learn to fly again.