Walking, I hear wing beats
like oars in an unseen river.
A pileated, a jay, then three ravens
wheeling in a circle above me
before making their way east.
The oaks shiver, shake off the rain
caught overnight.
I step over ghost pipes
bursting through leaf litter.
Three years ago,
a white deer came out of these
hemlocks to watch me climb
out of a car, just home
from the ICU.
I learn that after drought, rain
is nectar. The thrush, the sparrow
sing for the joy of it—
even though their nests are spent.
I learn that omens are everywhere.
Patricia Thrushart
Patricia Thrushart writes poetry and historical nonfiction. Her fourth and latest book of poems, Inspired By Their Voices: Poems from Underground Railroad Testimonies, was put out by Mammoth Books. Her poems have been published in numerous journals. She is co-editor of the blog and anthology series for North/South Appalachia and co-founder of the group Poets Against Racism USA. In 2021 her work was chosen for an anthology of Ohio Appalachian voices, and for the Women of Appalachia Speaks series.
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