without asking
earthquakes rumbled to announce the
arrival of mountains
rivers roared to forewarn rocks
of their ravage
winds howled to demand fishermen
back to shore
wildfires raged to birth new life
in the forest
so as you sit captive atop this white mountain
looking out on the spilled watercolors of dusk sky
know that the rivers, the wind and the wildfires
have already granted you permission to fly
Christina Eagen is a poet residing in New Hampshire. In addition to writing and reading poetry, she is deeply involved in local community service work as a library trustee and performance co-coordinator for the Concord Multicultural Festival. Her first published piece titled Catch, appeared in New Note Poetry’s inaugural issue in January 2022.