Bird-Understander

Of many reasons I love you here is one 

the way you write me from the gate at the airport 

so I can tell you everything will be alright 

so you can tell me there is a bird 

trapped in the terminal      all the people 

ignoring it       because they do not know 

what to do with it       except to leave it alone 

until it scares itself to death 

it makes you terribly terribly sad 

You wish you could take the bird outside 

and set it free or       (failing that) 

call a bird-understander 

to come help the bird 

All you can do is notice the bird 

and feel for the bird       and write 

to tell me how language feels 

impossibly useless 

but you are wrong 

You are a bird-understander 

better than I could ever be 

who make so many noises 

and call them song 

These are your own words 

your way of noticing 

and saying plainly 

of not turning away 

from hurt 

you have offered them 

to me       I am only 

giving them back 

if only I could show you 

how very useless 

they are not

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