A Hard Fledge for the Motherless

                                                                                       We are
                                                                           at a threshold
                                                                   in our lives; boys
                                                                and   girls    cross
                                                             insouciantly, smiled
                                                              upon like bright new
                                   mornings;         the prancing, charming young
                                        dauphins. Each one is waved off from their garden
                                    gate:          every mother left is a proud bow to her
                                                                      arrows. They seem
                                                                        far better fletched for
                                                                            flight than me. Does
                                                                                          one fledgeling
                                                                                                        cling to

                                                                         the rim
                                                                  of the nest;
                                                                its new wings
                                                                  beating like the
                                          white       flash of tiny oar blades
                                               against the gullet of a python river?
                                           I have         seen blue tits calling
                                                                    out to their young
                                                                                 one by one

                                                                                                   to
                                                                                               join
                                                                                           them in
                                                                                         a nearby
                                                                        tree:          Join   us
                                                                             under the great dome
                                                                        and            to help you
                                                                                                 fly alone,
                                                                                                             we

                                                                         are always here.