As rain's catching its breath
on the wings of a howling wind
cowering through the leaves
of a whipping willow

encountered a shivery hummingbird
“why are you crying?”: asked the rain
“she's rattled by my yowling!
or, could it be the thunder?”: said the wind

“she's soaked and cold
might be hunger
or a broken wing
can it be a fever?”: said the willow

if and only if, the mute bird
could utter a single word
as the wicked snake slithered
through the branches, to reach her nest!

10/06/2015