The Night Bomb Review Online Archives
verse at the intersection of guts and craft

Bird Breath / Judith Fay Pulman

March 17, 2010 09:52 by nightbomb

________________________________________________________________________________

Dickinson heard the breath of a hummingbird
one morning.

Henceforth covered head,
shaded eyes,
dreamed of catacomb drafts,
and no longer sought human shields.

What ballooning brick secret
was behind flit of quick winged distraction
in the bird’s precious inspiration?

Impossible knowledge.

Ever windowed Emily,
bee stung brain lady
your long lone collapse
    brought frost-petalled wisdom
    to college students and train hoppers
    far past dreary Amherst.

If it were I and buzzing bird,
would I dare listen
or simply
cottonball ears
to preserve own pink
but  never ever ever
write poems in the language
    of bells?

________________________________________________________________________________

Judith Fay Pulman is a former actress who is doing her best to live life honestly, intensely, kindly, and full of bounce.  She just got a Peruvian guinea pig named Harry.


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