Blackbirds

BLACKBIRDS

Fairy tales do not treat blackbirds well.

I never understood.

The black birds we had

bore red and orange bands

on their small wings,

Sat perched on cattail or

fencepost and trilled

their boundary challenges.

They were the first bird

who’s song I learned.  I saw

one sing and knew it’s heart.

I had heard, so often in

books that the black birds

were bad and ugly and evil.

I learned the truth, but

kept the knowledge

to myself--just in case.

Trish Freeland