THESE FEATHERS

the flies are thick bodied this year

as thick perhaps as the sound
a cacophanous concert of birdsong

intricate enough to inspire
electronica

there must be fifty species of bird
all chattering away in their own
very persistent rhythm

as persistent as a heartbeat
as the life will

gentle only in its unyielding

are these mating calls
or more general cries of delight?

celebrations
likely support connection

-------------------------

it's good to move apart from Indian woman
she-who-I-was-not-attractive-to

it wasn't actually her who (thus)
inspired my shaving

it was an older woman friend
to whom I was also suddenly
a 1970s cartoon character

so I continue to refine my song

often surprised at how ridiculously tough
I am called to be these days
how assertive
I feel I must be to get basic needs met

my face has completely changed
in eight months

how are gentler people surviving?

like birds I guess we find our niche
don't know where the hell mine really is
what is a shaman anyway?

writing's not bad sometimes

and the ravens are bossy too
even the ones missing a few feathers

perhaps especially these