Han River Poems : Fearlessly Flying Bird in Flight

Saturday, December 5, 2020

There's a hobbling pigeon being avoided on a busy road,

A statue of Confucius’ head stained with streaked droppings,

A single feather at the threshold of my home,

And what is more, a panel of dispersing doves

Taking flight from a partition in our meeting room.

Do any of these coincidences amount to much?

Without the serendipity of unwrapping a gift?

Of touching you upon landing from grounded days?

I hear your quarantined heart beating,

In a karaoke club watching a caged bird sing.

Let your destiny take flight to a sunny building ledge!

Escape from the pack of circling racers, to me!

Or am I only a pedestrian seated on a lonely park bench?

Scattering crumbs to any bird hungry enough

To take the chance of coming near?

Would you fly away if I stood to leave?

Or remain to thank me with a coo and a nod?

Even follow the path of my crumbs homeward,

For an unlimited supply of desire behind my chamber door,

Or would you sit on a bust of Pallas forevermore?

A white bird in a golden cage on a winter’s day in the rain?

You are not.

An albatross riding thermals at my ship’s stern in stormy seas?

You are not.

Screaming at each other unsatisfied like when doves cry?

We are not.

Have you a fear of flying into the fog of erotica?

Hopefully not.

Be my fearlessly flying bird in flight.

December 6, 2020

Han River Poems