1.
When she spoke
birds flew from her mouth
and flew around the room.
At first, we thought “gorgeous.”
What a marvelous
party trick.
A nightingale
Then a swallow.
Then a cockatoo.
After the seventh bird
we became very concerned.

2.
He aspired
to become a bluebird.
He focused on turning his hair
into feathers, turning his voice
into chirps, his feet
into tiny talons.
He gave up his career
in finance. One day
someone asked him
about dividends
he just pecked at their oxfords.

3.
When she spoke she spoke only of him.

*Published by Rattle