I was born on the
Third phase of a
Waning moon
On a dark
Day in November
                                     She said

I had the wrath of a million
Ravens in her womb
                      
                          She was not ready

A voice proclaimed
Beyond my mother's knowing
She said

I was an Omen come alive
Spread across her shrinking world
                         And I will live on for
                       You made me endless
She said
I was the harbinger
Of her pain and a witch
To the gray moon of
her clever madness

You were born
untethered from
the greed of men

who would
usurp all the good in
the land for their
great fortune

Let that agenda wane
into the wind
that you may be
human again

Evolve into
the quiet dance
for you are in
the company
of trees

return to your
birthright and love
what is good
and unhurried

A little lady cardinal
One morning perched upon my deck,
Spying the seeds I had placed there,
Hungrily, she began to peck

Soon she was joined by her lover,
With his "tweetheart" he came to dine;
What a lovely couple they made,
Standing there underneath the pine

I stood in awe of their courtship,
Then came a moment of mystique --
Lovingly, he took a peanut
And gently placed it in her beak

His wing lifted to caress her,
So much in love they seemed to be;
Tears started to well in my eyes,
Seeing love's pure simplicity

Suddenly, there appeared a hawk,
A dark shadow touring the sky,
All chirping hushed, fear filled the air,
And then sounded the warning cry

All the birds in the area
Sought trees, left and right they did veer,
But little lady cardinal
Just sat there, paralyzed with fear

Death was gliding on wings outspread,
Lady cardinal in his sight;
Then down he swooped to claim his prize,
Suddenly her lover took flight

Up he flew into death's cold grasp,
Downward fluttered a tattered wing;
Satisfied with his handsome catch,
The hawk soared away, revelling

The red bird gave his life for love,
But his bravery was not in vain,
Each dawn finds his lady grieving,
Singing for him her sad refrain