POETRY | FREEDOM | SELF
Winter Dove
No fears, no constraints, only the horizon and the gentle breeze of winter air
Gentle winter dove
Oh, how your feathers grace the sky
A perfect sight of porcelain in the winter heavens
A baron, harsh ground awaits
But now you only soar, oblivious to what waits below
Impartial to glacial air, unaffected by jeering and chatter below
To be free as you are must be beautiful
To take off, never a harsh worry, a pressing matter
No fears, no constraints, only the horizon and the gentle breeze of winter air
Blending perfectly into a boundless landscape of ivory snow
From below, a fleeting sight and a flutter of feathers
If only I could fly like you, winter dove.
As a young queer person raised in a small town in the South West of England, often one cannot help but feel alone. I wrote this poem in a notes file on my phone a few years ago. I believe that it is an almost universal experience for young people, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community, to feel trapped or misunderstood in their earlier years. When writing this piece, it was purely from the heart, and no matter how pretentious it sounds, I'm glad that I wrote it! It is important to speak your truth and I hope that reading this might inspire others to do the same.
Not only that, but I hope that not just young people, but everyone, is ensuring that they take time to observe nature and life. Our time on the planet is so short, and in a pluralistic age of social media and media saturation, anyone can lose themselves in the virtual. So, please everyone, take time to see your friends, and your family, and observe the world in it’s beautiful state.
Oh, and let me know if you see a winter dove!
