Straw House
written by: Barbara Harris Leonhard
Nestled in a bed woven
of twigs, grass, mud,
a shattered blue egg
and a shiny pink hatchling.
Its tiny head
stretches backward.
Soft yellow beak opens
the bright orange throat,
I am alive!
I am alive!
Fragile, tiny life
screams for food.
Can it thrive
through storms, parasites,
disease?
I shelter in my nest.
Dare I sing my life,
gather with my flock?
If I fly the coop,
fail to soar,
I lie exposed,
hunted by an invisible predator.
Ready to die?
My remains, carted away
to a mass grave.
Huddled in this brittle shell,
cracked open for a view of light,
of sun to scan my glossy skin.
Still alive.
Still alive.
Barbara Harris Leonhard
Barbara Leonhard is a writer, poet, and blogger at Extraordinary Sunshine Weaver. Her podcast Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul explores universal themes such as Grief, Kindness, and Presence. She taught writing for many years at the University of Missouri and is the author of Discoveries in Academic Writing. She is also a regular contributor to Free Verse Revolution, PhoebeMD, and Go Dog Go Café.
Latest posts by Barbara Harris Leonhard (see all)
- Straw House - June 17, 2020
- My Hair Eats Everything - May 16, 2020
