before the war

Before the war

Between Feather and

Fur

Our family was intact

Playing the music of the softness of fur

and the airiness of feather

Just one day..a single day… before the war

Colin

Douglas

Faithful Friend

Colin of fur Douglas brother of feather and faithful friend

Read each other not through words

But through the music of their hearts

Beating as fur will…beat

Beating as feather will…beat

Beating as a Faithful Friend will…beat

Question: “ Will you?”

“Yes”

“Always?”

“Yes”

“Will you even lend me your feathers to

Weave together a song if I need them?”

“Yes.”

“and because you will , I will always try to understand your language no matter how…

..no matter how feathery and off of property it seems”

Douglas sat down to consider that statement

For a minute

“I mean it” says Colin

“I feel you “ said Douglas

“ Sing this back to me

Feather for

Feather “

”

The next day

The war came

And fur and feathers flew

And

Douglas was killed

Douglas died

And Colin was knocked off of his legs

Colin could not

Eat

Sleep

Drink

or

Get himself

up on his legs

and out to the mailbox

to put a stop on Douglas’ mail

But strangely during the

Minutes that he began to sleep

He dreamed of Douglas singing

Holding out a feather

Balancing on his fingertip

Like a tiny dancer