Allegory

The cockatoo hears gamelan,
          and dances.
The peacock hears rude voices in his head.
The swallow hears her happiness
          caroming all around her;
the grackle hears his doom being sealed.
The blue jay hears the cardinal,
          his loyal opposition.
The seagull hears a sharp insoluble debate.
The vulture hears the fine world's
          vulgar gossip, notes it well;
ambitious robin keeps his shrewd ear low,
          and hears the dew

          vanish, the shade
          steal, the cat
          mouse, the grass
          cover the worm.
The crow hears lies, lies, lies, and cries
          out curses. Nighthawk hears the crow's
          lyrical soul.
The mockingbird hears comedy
          in all this.
The dove hears pain
          in all this.
The lesser bird of paradise
          hears, but can't sing.
The phoenix hears the sirens crying fire!
          and dances.

Copyright © 2007 Jenny Mueller All rights reserved
from Bonneville
Elixir Press
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission