It's almost inconceivable that there was some debate
about whether we had really heard the angels singing
it wasn't
that there wasn't
birdsong on the breeze
the embarrassment of dew
on the wings of two juvenile
cardinals
perhaps only just nudged from their nest
and fanning as much to learn to fly
as to shake off the lethargy
of making that uncertain transit
from the comfortable shelter of their eggs to open mouthed hatchlings
you see
these little ones were the most unlikely daredevils
dancing without a net upon the wire
more than the cardinals
doing what they do in memory
of some forgotten flight
that turned feathers inexplicably
from russet to red
just because
red was prettier
and more attractive to the female
who was doing her best
to wait for the most suitable mate
to charm with his chest
and seduce with his song
and while it is doubtful he belts out a Gloria
it's clear that whatever he says
touches a chord
especially when she catches him on the rebound
from some drunken flirtation
with the down beat
of the train on the track
that signals it's time for passengers to sleep
and freight to ride the rails
into the morning of another state
that bold bird
somehow knew
you can't start a fire without a spark
and off the wind he sparked
for the return of the flames
that tried but didn't take
the forest or the grass
but settled for one last chance
to whisper on the wind
and take their majesty back
from dastardly dust and ash
about whether we had really heard the angels singing
that there wasn't
birdsong on the breeze
the embarrassment of dew
on the wings of two juvenile
cardinals
perhaps only just nudged from their nest
and fanning as much to learn to fly
as to shake off the lethargy
of making that uncertain transit
from the comfortable shelter of their eggs to open mouthed hatchlings
you see
these little ones were the most unlikely daredevils
dancing without a net upon the wire
while the birds fluttered and hovered
like jump jets over the deck of an aircraft carrier
itself unsteady on the waves
I was thinking about the ubiquitousness of bread
certain
that the last supper
was also the first eucharist
and it's not a stretch to imaginemore than the cardinals
doing what they do in memory
of some forgotten flight
from russet to red
just because
red was prettier
and more attractive to the female
who was doing her best
to wait for the most suitable mate
to charm with his chest
and seduce with his song
and while it is doubtful he belts out a Gloria
it's clear that whatever he says
touches a chord
especially when she catches him on the rebound
with the down beat
of the train on the track
that signals it's time for passengers to sleep
and freight to ride the rails
into the morning of another state
somehow knew
you can't start a fire without a spark
for the return of the flames
that tried but didn't take
the forest or the grass
but settled for one last chance
to whisper on the wind
and take their majesty back
from dastardly dust and ash
and in the end the cardinal gains foregiveness
without even asking
the confidence of his beak
charmed the saints back
and made the angels sing
when the heat and the smoke had taken their voice
and replaced it
with a no less raspy laugh
happy in its own dance
upon hydro wires
and fence posts
and cedar boughs
and certain to rouse
even the sunken spirits
of we Trump pressed people
greedy to make a deal.
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