This next one is called "Tree of Two Birds." A serious poem,
but not gloomy.
It's about two birds singing in October in Minneapolis as if it
was going to be spring, which, of course, it wasn't.
And I just heard from my brother and his wife
by tape, we correspond by tape, and they
had been in Minneapolis two years before.
So I just thought of them and took courage from the two birds
singing so jauntily when that terrible cold
was about to come.
Tree of two birds.
Tree of two birds, tree of two birds.
All winter long I've heard your song;
and my heart has been like a tree of two birds.
When it was cold, cold, cold; when
the snow flew, when the clouds rolled down, down, down.
Such song from the bare branch, sweet throat,
sweet throat, all winter long.
Even the darkest days, how you plant your notes in my heart.
Like a fountain, green fountain, in winter,
fountain with my friends.
Like my family, singing to me, o brother, o sister, bird,
from the twigs of winter.
Tree of two birds, tree of two birds,
feeding me with your song all winter long.