Field Note
birds have problems
dark clouds
to dodge, stalking things
and claws that catch
if someone bigger
wants to eat
clipped wings, ruffled
feathers, windy days
and at the end of each, night
wrecked nests, eggs snatched
the scattering
of sticks or shells
clues to where their life went while they
looked away, scratched the dirt
stretched their wings
seeds are small and worms
live underground
unless it rains
a window sometimes stops
their flight, drops them
right out of the blue
but still birds sing
it seems there must be
something in the song itself
--smh