The Woods At Night

The binocular owl,fastened to a limblike a lanternall night long,sees where allthe other birds sleep:towhee under leaves,titmouse deepin a twighouse,sapsucker grippedto a knothole lip,redwing in the reeds,swallow in the willow,flicker in the oak -but cannot see poorwhippoorwillunder the hillin deadbrush nest,who's awake, too -with stricken eyeflayed by the moonher brindled breastrepeats, repeats, repeats its pleafor cruelty.