Confession

Lean in closer to me, child.
Lean in close and whisper the words;
the deepest sorrows of your heart,
rain and coldest wind disturbing
the quiet of the pulse.

Whisper what you will not
say out loud
and be released--
a cage containing a single song bird
emptied into nothingness,
or the final thrashing about
in panic
like a covey
of partridges
startled
into flight.

Released,
nonetheless.

Let go of the ground.
Let go and leave this world--
get lost in the wild
abandon
of loving
kindness.

I hear the outline of your voice
calling out, fear in the night,
and trace the dark shadow
of the hunting hawk
above the trembling body
waiting to fall
to Earth
and deliver
yet another soul
unto the open sky.