Blackbirds and the Homeless

Source: Photo of a blackbird taken at the San Francisco Zoo
Blackbird
He teeters softly
balancing unconscious
upon fog dampened phone lines.
Feathers his garment,
he awakens to windswept mist
and shattered street scenes below.
Emerging from his protective quarters
inside himself, he spreads his wings
and surveys concrete organisms
below his perch where the cumulus
provide a warm, safe haven.
He flutters haphazardly on broken
streets surrounded by industrial obesity
in search of discarded
morsels to satisfy his hunger.
Innocuous in his size he is not noticed and
therefore not seen, though rises above it all
naturally gifted
with wings of freedom.

Homeless
His cries hidden
sleeping consciously
upon garbage strewn pavement.
Newspapers his blanket,
he awakens to deafening sirens
and the morning rush hour.
Emerging from the daily news
and fetal position he sits
watching oblivious passersby
invade the unseen territory
of which he calls home.
He begs pleading for change on broken
streets surrounded by guilt ridden elite
in search of discarded scraps to keep him alive.
Big as life he is not acknowledged and
therefore ignored though rises above it all
naturally gifted
with a heart full of hope.

Comments

RNSANE said…
It's been a long time since I've read your poetry, Jo, and it is wonderful.
I've read both over again.

Sometimes, it is hard to maintain that heart full of hope! Very poignant, that poem.
Joanne Olivieri said…
Thanks Carmen, you'll be seeing more and more on here. And, yes, it is truly difficult to maintain that heart full of hope. BTW, come back home before the 24th :)

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