A Bird That Doesn’t Sing

by Gary Carter

Is there a bird that doesn’t sing
because it has no prettiness to voice?

woodpecker at least delivers a rhythm
not a song but a beat      a bottom
on which other feathered friends
lather up a melody
riffing on rowdy wrens’
     sharp strident rise & fall
countered by insistent chirp
of crimson cloaked cardinals
opposed in harsh harmony
by a gang of ink black ravens
dropping a dash of demon into the mix

& of course that crazy loud mockingbird
master of a thousand voices
goes all Coltrane
rocketing to heaven before dipping to hell
     & then back
cocksure no other creature can match him

until all is sanctified finally by sweet coo coda
of adoring doves married two into one

to which the bird that cannot sing
struts dances & dips in celebration

     fans its feathers
     to swirl the spring air

a mere flicker between worlds

Gary Carter’s latest novels are Not Dark Yet and Snake Bit. His short fiction and poetry have appeared in various journals, and he also sells a little real estate on the side.

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