The Hatchling

Gestating for hours, weeks, months,

inside the vessel of my imagination,

the cells and molecules connect,

coming together to form you.

When the timing is right,

a crack appears in the egg’s wall,

without fanfare or prelude

you emerge—formed but wobbly.

Your first steps are taken,

on the cocoons that fostered

your birth and creation—

words walking on eggshells.

Over the next few days, weeks, months,

you grow stronger, stabilizing

and coming into your own,

formed and ready for readers.

Then I release you, fully feathered,

to be who you were meant

to be, sharing your message,

whole and essentially complete.

I will miss your days of formation

and emergence, but I have

no doubt, a yolk of a sibling

is in a shell, not far behind.