An unseen bird sings a one-note
song that almost slides into two

sleeping with eyes open
the old dog hears it too,

incessant, incessant,

the invitation had said
silence.

.

An amber bead suspended
in the window frame

opens up

into
a spider

.

What kind of bird is it?

One bird, one song, one note,
and no response,

what does it ask, who
does it ask,

could it be me
could it be

what sort,
what sort, of animal are you?

.

A half-tailed cat stalks
the unseen bird

the old dog
half-sees
the half-tailed cat

The bird falls silent
the dog falls asleep
and the cat

it doesn’t see us

.

We see,
but through a mirror,

darkly; it’s unclear
which side

of the glass
the spider is

climbing on,
or how

it knows
when it’s gone

high
enough

.

And how
do we know

who asked us
here?

None of us
can see

the unseen
bird

.

Or reclaim
the minutes

of a morning,
going