AUTHENTICTY

What if I speak like the wren?

The cardinal, the jay – what if

I voice my thoughts purely,

          singular, unaffected

so not even the thickest plight

          can conceal me?

What if I dress like the finch?

The ring-neck, the hawk – what if

I wear my patterns clearly,

          securely, nonchalantly

so that merely one sighting could

          identify my traits?

What if I fly from pretensions?

Excuses, judgments – what if

I escape the dictates of worldly

          ambitions, embodying

the truths I profess, soar higher

          into my self?