Free Verse, Poem

Free As A Bird: Embracing The Panic

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Reena’s Xploration Challenge #400
where we are invited to choose a bird and divination
from An Almanac of Birds: 100 Divinations. This is my
true poem about learning to deal with panic attacks.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron:
to be liberated
drive toward doubt with great eagerness
given to being surprised
or remain ossified
a safe distance from alive

The quiet moment shattered, all at once.
A shiver, then a wave, so cold and fast.
My heart a drum, my breath a frantic bird.
The world grew small, a tight and fearful space.

I fought it then, with trembling hands and mind,
Wishing it gone, a shadow I could chase.
But shadows stay when light is turned away.

Now, when it calls, a ripple in the air,
I turn to greet it, soft and unafraid.
A strange, fierce guest that visits for a while.
I hold its hand, a whisper, not a scream.
And learn to be with it, a passing cloud,
Part of the sky, where calm can still be found.

NAR©2025

This is “Free As A Bird” by the Beatles

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #400


All text and graphics copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

46 thoughts on “Free As A Bird: Embracing The Panic”

  2. Pingback: Reena’s Xploration Challenge #401 – Creative Experiments and More

    1. Thank goodness, indeed, dear Keith. If I could bottle it to share with others, I would. I had to take a stand …. either be controlled or take control. Once I made the decision, for me the action was easy. And thank God, I did it. Thank you, my friend, for a lovely comment.

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            1. They were panic attacks with no known cause or reason. It isn’t one specific thing and many times, people experiencing a panic attack don’t know why it’s happening or what’s causing it. I just knew I had to take control or be controlled so rather than run from it, I ran into it and met it head on.

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  15. I adored your last three lines; they were a superb finale to a creative and poetic verse, Nancy … and your song choice has no equal … 🎵🌝💗😍🦅🕊

    “I hold its hand, a whisper, not a scream.
    And learn to be with it, a passing cloud,
    Part of the sky, where calm can still be found.”

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    Reply

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