Grandad keeps pigeons and canaries
in the same cage. He has never hurt me. He probably could, so I follow,
skipping moss stuffed cracks in the concrete path,
the bolt is secured with wire, the padlock hangs uncoupled.
Green paint patchworks the rust. They flock
they flock to perch on the bloated head,
the bloated neck, the shiny sausage fist. They flock
and I look around this cage of shit, look at the face that frightens me
look at the perched, preening canaries, crooning pigeons
and he looks and asks and I say
yes, yes, I do like coming to see the birds.
Kathryn Anna Marshall is a writer based in Shropshire. Her work spans themes around grief, mental illness and living with a chronic health condition. She also writes an extraordinary number of poems about birds. Her work can be found online and in print in places such as Mslexia, Dreich, The Dawntreader and Spelt magazine. Website: Kathrynannawrites.com Substack ThisWildFeeling Instagram KathrynAnnaWrites