How to Make a Bird

Stunning imagery and moving language let imagination take flight in an ethereal primer on making a bird.

Breathe deeply and take your time.
The making of a bird is not a thing to be hurried.

To make a bird, you’ll need hundreds of tiny, hollow bones, so light you can barely feel them on your palm. So light they can float on air. Next you’ll need feathers for warmth and lift. There will be more besides—perhaps shells and stones for last touches. But what will finally make your bird tremble with...