Poem for a Songbird I Knew for a Few Hours

We found you
outside the public library
busted wing and all
afraid
a big black dog
in an SUV
staring at you
licking its chops

My wife
her heart as huge
as the Upper Peninsula
cupped you in her hands
and we took you home
and spoke to you
and gave you a cage
and a clean towel
and a water dish
and seed

and my wife
could not name you
it would just hurt
too much
so I did

Kingston
and it hurt to do it
but I did

and I talked
into your inquisitive black eyes
I told you that I loved you
and would be right back
and we would talk some more

and then I left
and went to a birthing class
and watched videos
of the bloody sloppy
miracle of life
and we grimaced
my wife and I
and we talked
about babies
and we talked
about birds

I would put you
in the attic
and we would sit in silence
and watch the big black dogs
pass us by

Me with my Old Crow
and you with your seed

but that would never happen

I guess it wasn’t supposed to

Kingston
I’d like to think
you were happy
not getting stepped on
or eaten by a hawk

Just curling up next to a water dish
and letting go

Many people don’t let go

They mean nothing to me

but you

you meant it all

© 2016 Lee Kitzis

Valentine's Day Message to My Daughter on the Way

I

Savoring the last of my late nights
watching Kitchen Nightmares and
drinking Old Crow at 2:30 in the morning
which was less of a savoring
and more of an affirmation
that I wasn’t giving up much

I’m excited for you

you culmination
of mutual strangeness
and love

the nonsense songs we sing to our cats

are now nonsense songs we sing to you

please don’t lick yourself
and walk away

II

I want you
to have the life
my parents gave me

minus the sour stomach
and constant self-analysis

I want you to cook
and name the squirrels you see
Dottie and Action Jackson
and Doctor Acornsworth
and light a flame
in the Presque Isle snow
that burns the way it should

different

and you will

III

It’s 4pm

the huskies
are bedding down to nap
after a hard
two-day race

I’m about to make your mother
fried chicken for Valentine’s Day

she requested it

you requested it

the secret
is to let it soak
in over-seasoned buttermilk
for at least 3 days

and to never ever
season the dredge

that way you get the crunch
followed by all the flavor
contained within the chicken

people will tell you
to season the dredge

but that’s overkill

don’t ever listen to them

and don’t talk to strangers

and don’t date line cooks

and when the avocado’s ready

eat it

© 2016 Lee Kitzis