Thrush
From the French, fourchette, the frog
of a horse’s foot. Songbird, a robin
or blue one, brown-backed with
breast spots. Or a kind of whitish rash.
The frog of a horse’s foot—hooves
in the west pasture, hoarse chorus
surging from the marshes. Or bird,
a thrash in the shadow of brambles
edging the threshed field; a blue one,
or the robin, brown-backed, bright breast,
calls from the willow branches. Wind
wet in the shallow grasses, hoarse
chorus surging from the marshes, thrash
in a tangle of brambles, spring shower
splashing down. Rising creek rushing.
Over the creekbed, passing shadow,
cabin window. Spring downpour, then
the drowning. Then the drying, thrush
in the mouth or the branches; flash of
the spade, silver, thrust in the damp pasture.
(first published in Colorado Review)
