The rambunctious coyotes charged off stage and darted past Chickie. She ducked her head under her wing and held her eyes closed tight until they passed. Her feathers shook in fear, and she said to herself, “Well, that definitely got me ready for my act.” She made her way to center stage and looked around to be sure the coyotes were gone before she nestled down.
Lester caught Chickie’s attention. “Your a poet, and you know it!” he whispered so softly she had to read his lips.
She tucked her face back under her wing and ruffled her feathers into position. “Ready,” she said gently to Tan. A subdued violin in the orchestra played a frightening tune that echoed throughout the theater. The floorboards creaked. Curt and Tan letout an eerie groan while they opened. The large, white flowers in the dome fluttered, casting shadows onto Chickie. Her eyes peeked out from the top of her wing, and she scanned the audience. She rose and walked cautiously to the edge of the stage. She stood with her wings curled tightly to her chest and began her poem.
"I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
Slipping into the vast grasp of fear,
while watching my courage disappear,
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
The comforts of time no longer moved.
An embrace of space no longer soothed.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
My muscles locked in a frozen state.
No choice now but to idly wait.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.”
The flowers in the dome closed tight, and the entire theater went dark. Chickie continued,
“As I peer out at a pitch black sky,
fear takes hold, and I begin to cry.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
Close my eyes to outrun the night’s fright…”
The dome flowers opened up, and the theater grew bright. Chickie spread her wings and walked along the stage to give the conclusion of her poem.
“…by morning, fear’s been replaced by light!
Now, I’m no longer feeling the shaking of my
chicken feathers for I have grasped ahold of
braveries tethers…”
She raised a wing high above her head and ended with these words, “…and I’m not going to let go of them again!”
The audience sat in silence for several moments, frozen by the power of the poem. “So good!” a raspy voice finally shouted from the back. The voice was very familiar to Chickie. The crowd rose to give a standing ovation. “Bravo!” They cheered, clapped, whistled and hooted.
Chickie scanned the crowd, trying to find Oakly. She spied him in the back row. Without any hesitation or fear, she leaped from the stage and coasted to the ground with open wings. She took the center aisle and ran with everything she had. She smacked into him with an enthusiastic hug and unbridled excitement. Oakly wrapped his spindly branches around her and said, “You did it, little bird. You found your place. I’m so very proud of you.”
Those words meant everything to Chickie. As the crowd eventually quieted down and settled back in their seats, Chickie remained by Oakly’s side.
The rambunctious coyotes charged off stage and darted past Chickie. She ducked her head under her wing and held her eyes closed tight until they passed. Her feathers shook in fear, and she said to herself, “Well, that definitely got me ready for my act.” She made her way to center stage and looked around to be sure the coyotes were gone before she nestled down.
Lester caught Chickie’s attention. “Your a poet, and you know it!” he whispered so softly she had to read his lips.
She tucked her face back under her wing and ruffled her feathers into position. “Ready,” she said gently to Tan. A subdued violin in the orchestra played a frightening tune that echoed throughout the theater. The floorboards creaked. Curt and Tan let out an eerie groan while they opened. The large, white flowers in the dome fluttered, casting shadows onto Chickie. Her eyes peeked out from the top of her wing, and she scanned the audience. She rose and walked cautiously to the edge of the stage. She stood with her wings curled tightly to her chest and began her poem.
"I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
Slipping into the vast grasp of fear,
while watching my courage disappear,
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
The comforts of time no longer moved.
An embrace of space no longer soothed.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
My muscles locked in a frozen state.
No choice now but to idly wait.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.”
The flowers in the dome closed tight, and the entire theater went dark. Chickie continued,
“As I peer out at a pitch black sky,
fear takes hold, and I begin to cry.
I’ve felt the shaking of my chicken feathers
barely holding onto braveries tethers.
Close my eyes to outrun the night’s fright…”
The dome flowers opened up, and the theater grew bright. Chickie spread her wings and walked along the stage to give the conclusion of her poem.
“…by morning, fear’s been replaced by light!
Now, I’m no longer feeling the shaking of my
chicken feathers for I have grasped ahold of
braveries tethers…”
She raised a wing high above her head and ended with these words, “…and I’m not going to let go of them again!”
The audience sat in silence for several moments, frozen by the power of the poem. “So good!” a raspy voice finally shouted from the back. The voice was very familiar to Chickie. The crowd rose to give a standing ovation. “Bravo!” They cheered, clapped, whistled and hooted.
Chickie scanned the crowd, trying to find Oakly. She spied him in the back row. Without any hesitation or fear, she leaped from the stage and coasted to the ground with open wings. She took the center aisle and ran with everything she had. She smacked into him with an enthusiastic hug and unbridled excitement. Oakly wrapped his spindly branches around her and said, “You did it, little bird. You found your place. I’m so very proud of you.”
Those words meant everything to Chickie. As the crowd eventually quieted down and settled back in their seats, Chickie remained by Oakly’s side.