Cup of Sticks

Music was their first thought
Though hunger their first need.
The beaks agreed
Above the fair & weedy plot,

The beaks agreed.
Before they were blind
They had no cause to see
& music was their first thought

& mother was kind.
Before they were blind
They were saturated.
They had no cause to see.

They were saturated
With symmetry.
They had each note they'd need.
Mother was kind.

A thing began to bleed.
With symmetry,
With hunger,
They'd have each note they'd need.

With hunger
In their cup of sticks
They'd each have every shred.
The thing began to bleed.

Beaks began to click.
In their cup of sticks
A crying came.
They'd each have every shred.

A crying came
Before a thought.
A repetition came.
Beaks began to click.

It was the hunger that comes
Before a thought.
Before music
A repetition came.

Before music
Hunger was their first need.
Above the fair & weedy plot
It was the hunger that came.

Copyright © 2006 Matthew Miller All rights reserved
from Volt
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission