The Woods At Night

The binocular owl,

fastened to a limb

like a lantern

all night long,

sees where all

the other birds sleep:

towhee under leaves,

titmouse deep

in a twighouse,

sapsucker gripped

to a knothole lip,

redwing in the reeds,

swallow in the willow,

flicker in the oak -

but cannot see poor

whippoorwill

under the hill

in deadbrush nest,

who's awake, too -

with stricken eye

flayed by the moon

her brindled breast

repeats, repeats, repeats its plea

for cruelty.