A MURDER OF FOCUS

A swarm of crows came over the canyon wall,


noisy, and headed straight across the canyon –

dipping and yawing, but straight.



Where big birds circle the air currents, spiraling –

playing with the wind –

these crows beat their wings hard

efforting like a college crew team

or a pirate ship of rowers in high seas.



Sudden downdrafts take them as much as 10 feet,

but they struggle to rise again to the main wave

straight as an arrow across the canyon's gulf.

  (draft July, edit August 2012)