as though falling

invincible, 

feeling weightless as though falling off a cliff. 

space & time fold around me like a net as i lean backwards, into it

back to the ground and looking at the sky, face in the sun 

time slowing down, i take everything in like a black hole

as my outstretched hand grasps for anything and nothing  

my hand phases through something-nothing-anything 

it slips between my fingers 

but air and sky cannot possibly be nothing — 

the breath in my lungs like the way clouds look, 

something so light, it floats 

i’m falling midair, falling,

perpetually midair, 

f

   a

       l

          l

             i

               n

                  g,

suddenly the ground rises up from beneath me;

the dirt presses soft kisses on my feet.

i stepped off a cliff &

though i hung midair for a forevermoment,

the grass absorbed the brunt of gravity and 

tossed it into the breeze so it could jump up and meet me, 

meadow soft like pillows underneath. 

a leap of faith that turned into a baby step,

something as soft as the very first one, 

i got to walk, i got to fly, and i didn’t even have to die for it.

- c.b.