My Dad Comes Back as a Sparrow

By on Jun 9, 2013 in Poetry

Sparrow outside window

 

on the anniversary of his death

On this day
with sky, not sky,
but more like soil
sinking into lungs,

You decide to visit
as a sparrow,
dark earthen stripes
shooting lightning shrill
across your head,
then racing, as summer,
along your wings.

Not content
to sit and peer
into the window’s mirror,
you chat small
bird news
to those beyond

And tilt your bead
eyes into my room,
throat opening up
to tell of ice
and hard, rich pellets
ant-sealed
within the feeder’s varnish,

Of how one boxelder bug
stops to lure
with fiery wings,
propped safe inside,
within a flowerpot.

You stop
and lift a ray
of snow
into your throat
and dip, small curtsy,
into its minute puddle,

Then hop toward me,
as if glass
can be broken
between night and day,
between light and dread,
between drifts
and soothing water,

Between me and you,
this year-old day,
to be together,
Father.

About

Award-winning video and performance poet, organizer, producer, and participant in the original development of the internationally-acclaimed, “Poetry Slam,” Jean Howard has had poetry published in over one hundred publications, including Harper's Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Spoken Word Revolution, and her own book, Dancing In Your Mother's Skin (Tia Chucha Press). She has performed her poetry on cable, public and network television and at hundreds of venues nationwide, from the Guggenheim’s exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum, to biker bars. Currently, Jean serves on the Advisory Board of Utah Arts Alliance and Brolly Arts, after serving as Director of Chicago’s National Poetry Video Festival for eight years, and having her award-winning videos featured on PBS and festivals around the nation.

One Comment

  1. Shirley June 19, 2013

    Very nice – I think I understand – perhaps more detail later.

    Love ya
    Shirley