Blazing Crimson Chirper
by Charlie Brice
I hear him before I see him—
…..that clipped chirp,
…..…..alluring and inviting.
Once in view I’m captured by
…..his flash of blush, fired
…..…..in nature’s feathered kiln.
Why name him after the fat princes
…..of the church—those money-grubbing
…..…..pretenders to Peter’s throne?
Why not call him what he is,
…..the Blazing Crimson Chirper,
…..…..whom I greet with my own chirp
when his flight colors my placid yard?
…..We converse, we two beings,
…..…..one bewildered, the other beware—
a dialogue of air. Intrigued by
…..my imitation of his song,
…..…..he checks me out from
the safety of our bending birch,
…..only to fly away, disappointed,
…..…..that I’m not one of his wing there.
About the author
Charlie Brice is the author of Flashcuts Out of Chaos (2016), Mnemosyne’s Hand (2018), and An Accident of Blood (2019), all from WordTech Editions. His poetry has been nominated for the Best of Net anthology and twice for a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in The Atlanta Review, The Sunlight Press, Chiron Review, Permafrost, Plainsongs, I-70 Review, Mudfish 12, Anti-Heroin Chic, and elsewhere.
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