Bird Songs

    The lantern burned down
    Through the night but was still
    Half lit in the morning.  We yawned
    Together, unzipped our tent
    And stepped out before birds
    Could sing or a breeze could
    Flutter any tree leaves.

    It would be like that for
    Months on end, years even.
    She could live in the moment
    More than I who looked about,
    While she was smiling,
    For any threat coming up
    The mountain or down. 

    An evil I didn’t know and
    Couldn’t see swept by
    And took her away while I
    Sat Listening to her breathing,
    A musical sound that
    A bird might make
    With enough warning.