Aislinn Wilson

Two Rooks

Rook 1

A rook fell down my chimney. Oh, hell

Wings agitated profusely, but it

Couldn’t get away from the dog

Who prepared an ambuscade.

No escape from this tirade.

It squalled for help from the bird

Reflected in the glass, which gave no answer

To our rook’s dismay. And so I

Locked the dog in that room

And pursued the fowl with a kitchen broom,

Out the back door.

And in that moment it occurred to me

That it did not bolt from the lion’s den

But from the lion who sent it to see

Parliament once more,

Despite my effort to release it outdoors.

 

Once I was locked in with a predator too.

 

I Never was grateful to be alive

Did I have a broom-woman seeing that I’d survive?

I may resent that I wasn’t saved

But despite my fear, I’ve lived to see better days.

 

A rook fell down my chimney. Oh, hell

Will it look back and know the terror was for the best?

Will I sing praise for my enemies’ plot?

Perhaps it will, but Probably not

Perhaps I will, but Probably not

 

Rook 2

A rook fell down my chimney again

It threw itself wall to wall, not knowing the harm it caused

It’s wings fluttered at a slowing rate

It’s beak cracked open and bled down upon its face

My dog brought it to me nestled in blades

Or rather teeth but to prey it’s all the same

She dropped the creature into my hands

So I sent it out the back door once again

I feel guilty for letting it live

Instead of putting it out of it’s misery

I’d like to think that between Maker and me

I’m the first and not the second rook

But Probably not

 

I should really fix the chimney