mistook a cardinal for a coke can
its song for trilling sirens
the siren as a mystic
and the mystic for a bird
the bird i took for proof
that spoken word is but a song
the song itself an echo
of an echo called along
a call misread for needing
when a needle goads and prods
and prodding words for meaning
means the wording shakes and nods
the nodding bird is taunting
says you thought you saw a can
when cans can’t sing like i do
nor can you or any man
from there i took up paper
bound a notebook held a pen
and penned the song the bird
sang from her wooded cola den