Cardinal
You are the king of somerville
You rashly red lightning bolt
cardinal
Splash of color in this all
too gray world
Starling, robin, finch and
monotonous pigeons
Who waddle the roofs in endless
diplomacy
Heads in bob in a permanent
religion
A taunt and tussell of necromancy
On these shabby slates and
bare winter trees
So imagine the surprise of
cardinal
In this bishopric of endless
sameness
Red as the blood of peony
Red as the belly of Budha
Red laugh in the light that
gives us morning
Red shout and a bright clear
warning.