AND FALLING BIRDS SHALL SIGNAL THE ANTHROPOCENE by Keith Hoerner

— after Rachel Carson 

No wind flows

Through wingspan

No lift

Force

No air-

Foil

Aves find

Themselves

As thrown

Stones

Beaks raking

Earth like plows

To sow dying swan

Songs

*Golden

Seeds*

*Feathered

Prayers*

*Sacred

Supplication*

To germinate and

Grow

And as like Lazarus—rise again—

And go

Keith Hoerner is founding editor of the Webby Award recognized Dribble Drabble Review, an online literary ezine and print anthology series of all things "little-ature” and managing editor of Southern Illinois University’s renowned Crab Orchard Review. His work has been featured in 170+ lit mags / anthologies across five continents.