Upon breaking the surface
of the dark, choppy water
she found herself gasping for air
and felt everything so clearly
after the time spent muffled
in the dark

She was a bit frightened
of this new sense of exposure
to be linked directly
to everything around her
after that comforting prison
in the dark

Trying to remember
where she was going before,
she could not quite capture
the same feeling
that old direction

Something was different
inside of her
from being locked
in an intimate embrace
with her own shadow
and nothing else
for so very long

Disorientated, yet enlivened
the vast expanse
of potential
which she had gained
began to dawn on her
and she laughed

Breathing deeply now
the wind blew cold
on her skin
and she did not tremble
or pull away from it

After years of watching
birds pass by
from the ground
feeling stuck and resentful,
she unfurled her wings
and she flew.