That bird is at my window again - edit

[milo]

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edit;

That bird is at my window again,
tapping on the glass.  What does it mean?

What does she mean?

Each afternoon, sometimes in the morning, too,
she perches on the sill and pecks.

There is no rhythm; she does not sing.
A small bird, she is not
grim raven croaking “Nevermore”
but her small, inexplicable persistence
makes me wish I knew Morse code.

Sometimes I stand there and
I do believe there’s a response -
to fly away
to turn one eye
to change posture
stretch her neck
and peck
faster, slower
simple measures...

If the souls of the dead
enter animals, they might well choose
a bird
and if they then chose to speak
what would they do?

Is it madness at Poe’s level
to believe there’s message meant for me
or that a bird lighter than my thumb
could have the care and presence
to try to deliver it?

She takes a break
extracts a seed from the feeder
then returns to her reflection
as I to mine.

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You would get the full allusion effect with “nevermore” without mentioning Po or his raven

Good observation, and quite true.  It was stream-of-consciousness, I thought "Poe" and then had to briefly cudgel the brain to recall what his bird was - crow?  Owl?  Haven't found a satisfactory replacement for the (formerly) second instance - it's at least a call-back to "Nevermore," perhaps?  Could the problem be finessed by giving the poem a title (which it currently lacks) such as, "Lenore Returns?"  

I do like the the idea of using Lenore (though not returns)

I am going to think a bit on it