Welcome — An Image

A close-up photo of crocuses in bloom.
“Crocuses” — C.Birde, 3/21

With the weight

of Winter

& the recent year

still present,

she says:

“Look —

I bring you

crocuses…”

— C.Birde, 3/21

Crows — A Poem

A close-up photo of a Crow feather.
“Crow Feather” — C.Birde, 3/21

Thought &

memory –

circle

      circle

Enfold

me in your

soot-dark

wings

Inscribe

my heart

in quick

ink-quill

scrawl &

claw as

yours

again

     again

For in this

isolation,

I have

learned

to love

the glossy

sound of

your voice

winging

through

me.

— C.Birde, 3/21

Construct — A Dream

An image of the interior scaffold structure of a huge greenhouse.
“Scaffold” — C.Birde, 3/21

The boy has died.

One third

her not yet twenty

years.

     Intolerable.

     Unbearable.

Here:

within this rough

underground womb

of dull-winking

hematite,

through the crucible

of her direction,

the memorial

is constructed.

She oversees

the smooth stage’s

raising;

the steel frame’s

enclosure struck

with lights;

white screens,

like windless sails,

unfurled.

His image –

     luminous,

     aflare –

will transcend

the dark &

breach the void.

The boy has died.

She wears the burden

of his absence

with fury –

raw-edged &

     bristling.

— C.Birde, 3/21

Pierce — An Image

An augmented photo of daffodils' blades thrusting through soil against a white fence... Only the daffodils are in color.
“Daffodil Blades” — C.Birde, 3/21

“I will pierce

the rimed earth’s

slumbering crust…”

Blades

of green daffodils

chased

with her voice.

“I will pierce it

— like Eros —

with love…”

— C.Birde, 3/21

Passage — A Poem

Photo of an old White Oak, looking upward through its leafless winter limbs.
“White Oak” — C.Birde, 3/21

Cold wind

full of Winter’s

coarse & paling breath;

that, in slow retreat,

rattles trees’

pre-bud leafless

limbs…

Pass through

this insubstantial form

like

     song.

— C.Birde, 3/21

Shred — A Dream

Photograph of shredded bits of newspaper piled in a heap.
“Shred” — C.Birde, 3/1

World

of black & white

entirely comprised

of newspaper

torn to bits,

shredded & strewn

over the landscape,

covering trees &

earth & every little

growing thing

as far as the eye

can see.

An

earth-formed sea

of black & white –

delineated,

bisected,

by a raised ridge

of torn words &

images pressed

into a pastiche

spine.

Carefully

tread this crude

catwalk

gangplank

promenade

balance beam.

Follow one

behind the other

‘til from behind

a copse of print-

wrapped trees

a she moose looms,

protective of her

calf…

Veer off

the path & wade

through the swamp

of printed words

that tugs

at boot & stride.

See there,

within the shred

of black & white,

the doe at rest,

& tucked within

her body’s curve,

a solitary small

& spotted

fawn.

— C.Birde, 3/1

Harmony — A Poem

A close-up photo of a bird's tracks impressed in snow.
“Track” — C.Birde, 2/21

Black crow

white snow

sound & silence

soot & wonder

on peaked roof

together perched

in echo of

each other.

— C.Birde, 2/21

Memoriam — A Poem

An augmented photo of a snowy night, looking down a cleared brick walk and through a snow-covered garden arch.
“Night’s Snowy Arch” — C.Birde, 2/21

A year

has passed

since you left

this earth

& though

I miss you now

no more than

yesterday

& no less than

tomorrow,

today I’m

pricked

with

t

e

a

r

s

.

.

.

— C.Birde, 2/21

Patter — An Image

A photography of a squirrel's tracks in the snow.
“Gray Squirrel Tracks” — C.Birde, 2/21

“My heart beats

in all creatures,

far & near

seen & unseen…”

Her words hung

in the air

betwixt snowflakes

falling.

“My heart beats

in

you.”

— C.Birde, 2/21

Snow Angel — A Poem

A photograph of a blue jay's -- wings and feet and tail -- impression in snow.
“Blue Jay’s Snow Angel” — C.Birde, 2/21

Squinting eyes

against a truth

so bright

it blinds,

like snow piled

deep and white

and wide

Depth increases

inch by inch

Another layer

falls

With tilt of head

& shift of stance

behold

the shadows

cast –

indelible,

inarguable

Fall in,

fall in

Arms and legs,

widespread,

impress angelic

range.

Fall in-

to insight and

arise renewed

again.

— C.Birde, 2/21