Aubade with a Multitude of Birds
       

Still dark and already
the stupid birds are at it

outside the window
how could anyone possibly

be prepared for what
clamor they make

in the oak not cooing
a cacophony so many

an ill omen of birds
seemingly trying

all at once
to speak the way

children often speak
overtop one another

as if each had the most
important thing

to say but what
could be more important

than this you'd ask
than our small sleep

this hour we've lost
just before the awful

light slips like a thief
through the window

and maybe this noise
is really an alarm

a red bell
in each bird's throat

announcing that
something is coming

something terrible
is coming and there's

no stopping it

Tweet

Copyright © 2017 Nathan McClain All rights reserved
from Scale
Four Way Books
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission