Sunlight on My Wings

Finally, after months on the battlefield,
I allowed myself to pin on wings.
A reward for being brave.
A promotion, if you will,
For making my way through the ranks of real warriors.

At first they felt awkward.
Their edges, tinged with sadness,
I wondered if I would ever get used to their weight.
Wings with feathers of hard earned steel.
Wings tainted by loss.
Wings touched by cancer.

Every day I pinned them on,
Not knowing if I would ever use them to fly.
Wondering if I would learn to see their beauty.
But each day, they became more a part of me.
With time, I found they made me stronger.
I began to slowly spread them out,

Until I stood, like an eagle at the cliff's edge,
With sunlight on my wings.
I saw their bright and iridescent colors,
Their intricate and delicate patterns,
Hand wrought and carved to withstand the wind and storms ahead.
Wings that would take me home.
.