She was born with a 
twelve foot wing span

-head tipped back
-mouth agog
-firey twinkle in her eyes

two years four months
sit down-stop jumping
first feather drops off

little bites for little girls
clump of fourteen unravels

don’t talk back 
left wing begins to curl 

cross your legs-sit up straight
three long slender quills

smile smile smile 
right wing withers

you’re too emotional 
last filoplumes vanish

roots sprout
twelve foot deep