I shed off the artificial feathers of my Carnival costume.
The mask drops as the curtain falls.
The crowd withers away.
I drown in the loud silence of solitude.
Loneliness threatens to smother my soul with its lead mantle.
I take a deep breath.
Rays of hope shine forth, dispelling the darkness in my soul.
I look up, spread my frail wings, and jump.
I fly vulnerable and afraid.
It finally dawns on me as I let myself go.
I am a migratory bird.
I am flying back to myself.
I soar to the secret place, where my heart is finally at rest.
My soul drinks deep from the brook of peace and self-acceptance.
I am finally home.
I am face to face with the true essence of who I am.