…
His beak could open a bottle,
and his eyes—when he lifts their soft lids—
go on reading something
just beyond your shoulder—
Blake, maybe,
or the Book of Revelation.
·
Never mind that he eats only
the black-smocked crickets,
and dragonflies if they happen
to be out late over the ponds, and of course
the occasional festal mouse.
Never mind that he is only a memo
from the offices of fear—
·
it’s not size but surge that tells us
when we’re in touch with something real,
and when I hear him in the orchard
fluttering
down the little aluminum
ladder of his scream—
when I see his wings open, like two black ferns,
·
a flurry of palpitations
as cold as sleet
rackets across the marshlands
of my heart,
like a wild spring day.
·
Somewhere in the universe,
in the gallery of important things,
the babyish owl, ruffled and rakish,
sits on its pedestal.
Dear, dark dapple of plush!
A message, reads the label,
from that mysterious conglomerate:
Oblivion and Co.
The hooked head stares
from its blouse of dark, feather lace.
It could be a valentine.
—Mary Oliver
Mar 09, 2013 @ 06:55:10
Absolutely terrific ! So clever, so well organised- full of original imagery.
Mar 09, 2013 @ 14:39:32
That’s Mary Oliver for you!
Mar 10, 2013 @ 15:04:17
Wow. Wonderful word picture.
Mar 10, 2013 @ 23:02:16
thanks, peg
Mar 22, 2013 @ 06:24:00
I love that you used the periodic table. My partner will love it.
Mar 22, 2013 @ 09:24:33
I’ve got all this junk in my apartment for a reason, sister!