Sonnet on a Fledgling

Written as a personal celebration for launching Forever Fledging.

Opening Note: Setting the Mood

Growth is rarely a linear, comfortable journey. Often, the spaces that once nurtured and protected us eventually begin to feel small and hollow. We find ourselves standing on the edge of the familiar, looking out at an unmapped terrain that terrifies us, even as it calls to us.

This sonnet is an exploration of that delicate, awkward middle ground—the transition between the quiet safety of the nest and the fierce bravery required to trust our own wings. It is a reminder that healing takes time, but comfort is not completion. Eventually, the wind shifts, and we have to decide whether to stay hidden or step onto the branch, let go of the weight of older things, and begin again.

Sonnet on a Fledgling

The sheltered nest is safe in Douglas fir,
Where hollow routine rules and shadows play.
But shifting currents make the seasons stir,
To change the comfort of a summer day.
I hide in grass to heal beneath bright sun,
And watch the filtered light fall through the tree,
For ease is brief, and I am far from done.
A bigger sky awaits this fledgling me.
Upon the edge, unsteady and distressed,
I take my first steps on a path untried.
The branch is daunting, but within my chest,
An unexpected strength becomes my guide.
  I test the wind and spread my bold blue wings,
  To leave behind the weight of older things.

Composed September 17, 2026, in Shakespearean (English) sonnet structure, while I was sitting in a quiet place, under low light, sipping wine.