I wade in this water to find its source.

I saved a bird last summer.

Spotted its baby body
and it's broken, bloodied wing while walking.
(It was a baby tufted titmouse, so so precious)

Scooped it up
in a paper bag
and drove it to help.

I watched it in that bag
and its nature changed me.
It did not understand where it was going
or why it was now balancing on
wadded up tissue paper
instead of grass and branches
but it looked up at me so steadily
and it blinked so patiently
and it knew its limits so sweetly.

And so now I can't seem to stop
scanning streets and parking lots
pathways and alleyways
for creatures in need
of saving.

My Big Lesson
after being washed up onto the other side
of witnessing
cancer
death
struggle
and divorce
has been
you can't save others//
you are not the savior.
It's in learning to know my limits
before I break my wings trying.

Okay.
I accept this now.

But I saved that bird...