18 February 2010 | Vol. 9, No. 4

Low Owls

by BRENNEN WYSONG

Some are sparrows,

but generally wintry.

Some sparrows spell

rows or spar

when in discord.

Just listen beneath

the din then:

A contradiction

sings winged things

through cold seasons.

Or, a rows is a rose

only when in lines

across a field

and in full

summer's bloom.

Or, a rows is arouse

only when in

midair quarrel

and suddenly flush

with blood.

Or, a rose is the past

tense of arise

only when wilted

and lifting beneath

its wings.

So sometimes a rose

is a rows is arouse.

And so a rows is

very close to sorrows.

And so some are spells

the distance between

so a rows and sorrows.