Dare

Poem-a-Day Challenge, Day Four!

Dare

she’s always been the

wallflower, the

tulip type

standing with an air

of the hidden spring

joy next to the

baby blue walls

the windows are there, too

but she stands aside

by the forlorn, drooping curtains

the glass is see-through and

safe—like watching

an old time movie

in sepia

dark and growing

darker

she tip-toes a

tad closer to the

screen and with

every ounce of courage

she can draw to her

mind and every

reasonable thought she can

push away

she slides open

the window

with timid glances

taken, she sends out

an unroughened hand

a bright canary

who seems to have

a broken wing

a shiver runs through

her spine as a wayward

traveling raindrop melts

on her icy, air-conditioned finger

it seems that her

soul has jumped

and continues to

       continues to

until a hearty laughing shock

of thunder shakes

her entire body

and she feels strengthened

the sounds keep coming

and her gentle heart takes to
the dense rhythm

as she climbs cautiously

through the window

            into the show

            out of safety

but the porch roof

plays shelter

and she’s still

a bit weak from

the sudden change in heartbeat

and soul

the water descends

with aggressive flowing

force

the kind she’s only

ever used with

words

the sounds push her

every which way until

the rain pounding the

pavement and the

thunder pounding her

heart convince

her to dance

with a flash her

world is no longer

sepia but

the full spectrum

of light

she leaps out from

her safe haven with

an open soul

and closed eyes into

the storm and

dares the lightning

to touch her

~Olivia