Steel

Piece by piece, I put my armor back on 

It's taken years to design and manufacture.
Composed of the finest materials, 
designed to protect all of my most
vulnerable parts, the parts of myself
that rest easier in the shadows. 

For a moment I took it all off
To breathe and to feel and to laugh
I ran and jumped off of a cliff.
A leap of faith, and for a moment I flew.  
The wind granted my wings strength
and the sun warmed my feathers. 

Then slowly but surely the wind left me, 
and the sun set beyond the horizon. 
I found myself once again spiraling
down toward the ground, where my feet
should have remained firmly planted.

Piece by piece I outfit myself in steel. 
Untouchable, indestructible, and safe.