she didn't realize how dark
her world had become
until one day
she went out
the birds were singing
and the sun was warm
and that rain cloud
that had been following
her around
dissipated

the longer she stayed out
the better she began to feel
a little bird in her heart
began to chirp
and stretch its wings

by the time she got home
she herself was whistling
a tune that hadn't
touched her lips
in a long while