i saw somebody say “what if you’re gone and i haven’t become anything yet” and basically that broke me on a random thursday evening
OP, this is genuinely a masterpiece, three poems in one, moving and well craft. Please tell me you have submitted it to at least some poetry contests, and if not, please do so.
I was blown away by the craft of three poems in one, the first time I read this
And then the second time, I glanced over it with tired eyes thinking it was a different poem
and almost scrolled past but decided to read this one too, because
because this time I misread the title as “watching a parrot age”
and… as I happen to have an aging parent (Mom) who also has some aging parrots (macaw and blue-fronted Amazon) …
and since I have deep feelings for them all, and am genuinely unsure who will outlive whom
…my misreading gave the poem perhaps three more new meanings, on this read-through
…particularly focused on the imagery of flight… of brightly shining glory… and of cuts on the hands. (those birbs BITE. but they also love.)
