CANDICE EVANS

Candice Evans has been a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond for five years, but feels she's been a UU in spirit her whole life.  She resides in Central Virginia with her husband and their young daughter.  Aside from writing poetry and prose, she enjoys playing video games, watching movies, reading comic books and enjoying all manner of pop culture.

Bluebird By Candice Evans

I didn’t jump,

As much as I was pushed;

I fell face first from the nest,

Into hard lessons and harsh truths.

I’ve had feathers plucked from my back to adorn the hair of lesser women.

I’ve seen my seen my skin stretched across cardboard signs left to tan in the sun.

I’ve felt my tender flesh roasted.

I’ve been chewed up and spit out.

I’ve been told it was all for my own good.

I have been scooped up off the concrete.

I’ve been held to soft breasts with rough hands,

Fed hot meals I was not worthy of.

I have kissed and cried with gods.

I have been made my best version of whole.