Nine of Pentacles

Seeking birdmate for the afterlife
by Ren Pike

must be discreet / able to hide in alcoves
& bedrolls / prone to screech without
malice / must enjoy masks, in reds and
yellows / shares internal dissertations /
able to set the pace when flirting / given
to wild surrender / likely to read up, on, &
over / thorough / too bright to be swayed
yet unsteady in a summer breeze / a
huntress of kisses, pecks, & permissions /
cold when things are not / the kind of
companion one might look at more than
once / revisiting the same haunts for
another, yet another, glimpse / each taste a
swift river / eyes that flit / a tail too large /
raucous during rest times / attuned to the
natural firmament / always hoping to see a
bestiary / knowledgeable enough to wear
the crown & the gown / perhaps sewing it
with one’s own hindlimbs / distracted by
porch light shadows / dropping coins out
on the bayou / able to restore lost
temptation / perfectly balancing on my
hand / throat exposed / quivering

Ren Pike (she/her) grew up in Newfoundland. Through sheer luck, she was born into a family who understood the exceptional value of a library card. Her poetry has been published in antilang., Orson’s Review, and Juniper. When she is not writing, she wrangles data for non-profit organizations in Calgary, Alberta.