March Thaw with Dead Robin
This poem won Editor's Mom's Choice in the 2019 2-Day Poem Contest
i
little bird, when did you leave us?
stepped-past, kicked-aside
walked-over
ii
found among the droppings
of the mountain ash, its red heart
a cluster of berries
iii
the head comes apart
to reveal its true centre
a single, pickerel eye
iv
gnathic: did something gorge
briefly? that beautiful throat
conspicuously silent
v
velour of feathers
damp and receding – alive
with snow mold
vi
wintering in this place the body
pauses, ensorcelled
by the serpentine wind
vii
would you wake if I called you
by your other name? redbreast
you’ve slept so long
viii
the next day, one last toboggan
navigates the trail, its scissor and weave
becoming birdflight
Published online August 08 2019.
This poem was a winner in CV2’s annual 2-Day Poem Contest. Every April, CV2 challenges players to create a new original poem that uses all 10 words of our choosing. It’s poetry under pressure for prizes, publication, and personal bests. Learn how to sign up for the next 2-Day Poem Contest.
