Birds in Philadelphia

The music pauses
Birdsong takes its place

On my walk home

(From the hospital)

There were two dead birds

On the same block

My thoughts flashed over them

As I was walking

Returns now

As I hear survivors

Vibrant and alive

Or panicked and alone

I can't tell

I haven't spoken

To quite enough birds

To know

I know

That a part of my heart

Is dying

Right now

In a hospital bed

Or surviving

But not vibrant

And

Tired of struggling

I try to bring laughter

To the room

Just once a visit

She looks at me

As though I've lost my mind

What place

Does laughter have

In that room?

Laughter

Is the echo of hope

The enunciation of joy

She's forgotten

How to laugh

And that's okay

I sit next to her

As a reminder

If she cares

To recognize it