Anhingas and ravens crow for the emus,
which parrot the moas and the kiwis
of the Albatross Isles en paradisum’s view,
where the petrels join the kites lofting freely
in the winds lifting up the frigates and condors
as the osprey chases fish from the clouds for survival,
with owl’s sight, eagle’s might, and falcon’s force,
in a display of precision and power that has no rival.
They join the flamingos and the cranes that soar,
visiting every land in the Kingdom of the Animals,
chief among the turtledoves and the moorhens,
among the hawks that pluck the feathered troubadours
— including kestrels, puffins, sparrows, and quetzals —
that surf the earth and sky from end to end.
-Andrew Blitman
Andrew Blitman is the author of four extensive poetry anthologies and the handbook for matrix poetry, a poetic style that he invented in 2018. Andrew is also a regular contributor on Late Night Poets, a radio station dedicated to the written and spoken word. To read his works, you can visit his website: andrewblitman.com.