Red kitchen lights above, Atlantic blue
dusk creeping down outside. A bitter ale
in front of you, your wife scrolls through her phone.
The oven heating for a delicacy
from the freezer drawer. Dog stares you down:
he wants a snack. Desires and needs, these mammal
drives. You scratch behind your ear and sniff
what’s ready for the compost: orange peels
curled on the counter, coffee grounds with soggy
filter, wilted lettuce from last week,
and, someday, you. And now that thud you sometimes
hear. You’re sure a songbird, flying free,
has hit the window glass. Oh, will it live?
Some days, enlightenment is just like this.
Thomas Zimmerman (he/him) teaches English, directs the Writing Center, and edits The Big Windows Review https://thebigwindowsreview.com/ at Washtenaw Community College, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. His poems have appeared recently in horror senryu journal; iamb: poetry seen and heard; and Red Wolf Editions. His latest book is Dead Man's Quintet (Cyberwit, 2023)
Website: https:/thomaszimmerman.wordpress.com
Instagram: tzman2012
Facebook: Tom.Zimmerman.315
Twitter (X): @bwr_tom
What a fabulous read. Thank you. Susan Davis