Daniel Bouchard
Cat and Bird

I knew a cat
a neighbor kept.
The cat was out
as I was out
on an ordinary day.
A flock of starlings
hopped thru the lot
and the cat was up
to no good.
I was on my way out
but shortly came back
and saw a starling
stumbling out
from under a parked car
with broken wing,
his right, held out
like a small person
holding open
a sportscoat on one side
(the way it angled out)
staggering on the asphalt
fearful eyes
betraying panic
taken totally by surprise
and his flock nowhere
to be found, certainly not
about the ground
where bright eyes glared
behind the hurt bird
in dark recess of a wheel well.

return to SHAMPOO 5