ENVIRONMENTAL Poem: THE OWL, by Amanda Morin

Driving in a trance, I see the owl
trembling feathers, unmoving body
lying within human margins of twisted highway.

I drive past it, take the exit
push the hazard button on my dash
step out onto asphalt as cars and trucks blast

air strong enough to whisper oceans
into my ears-make me reconsider walking
interstate 95 for a forlorn owl.

But she is alone up ahead
so I walk to her stillness
see the cold grip of her talons as I wrap her in my coat.

Heavier than expected
I imagine her full of gasoline
from the tank of the car that she collided with

blink back the thought
and force myself to imagine a circle of feathers
protecting me from cars.

Even in this sleep she commands
the wind. I place her in my empty trunk
and hope she is merely stunned.

I turn the radio off. Ride in silence
for the last twenty minutes
to my lover’s house. I walk inside

ask for a box, some gloves and
say, follow me:
There’s an owl in my trunk.

I slide gloves on, wear my now familiar mask
unwrap my coat and see the Owl
in some ways for the first time

the yellow hook of a beak, comically small
face like a hand thrown clay bowl, tail feathers
sweep boldly back. Trees bow in a quiet repose

Her stillness is full
I know I have only two hours
before returning home to my family

as I stroke the mottled feathers
and stare into vacant black eyes
Knowing it will take all the time

we have together for the week
still I ask, “Can we bury her?”
she graciously lets me drive to the park

I lay the owl under a birch tree
and as the sun sets we cover her
with twigs, branches, lichen and cattails

Our thoughts heavy with silence
as we bend to work alone together.
When finished, the final golden hour sun

lights up our gently laid pile like a pyre
and we hold each other.
Leaving as the dusk drew the life from the moment.

We walked to the beach to find any color that remained
until the full moon rose and the cold crept
into our hands, now talons themselves.

In this in between space,
in the year we’ve lost so much,
we buried an owl