Birds move me more
than angels--Canada geese
as they cup their wings,
seraphim singing out of tune,
but visible, move me more
than a rumor of the celestial.

I'm a burden to myself
with my ties to language
and to gravity, not satisfied
with bipedalism
and opposable thumbs
instead of wings and talons.

If avian, I might be
a blue heron balanced for hours
on one thin leg to snatch
one thin fish or tadpole.
Or a flamingo feeding
with my head upside down.
Or a common robin risking
everything over grubs and bugs.
Not a blessed one of us has it easy.