Bernard Henrie

THE PAINTED BUNTING

Drinking from your birdbath
I was humbled by my own
reflection. Imagine my blue head,
red underparts and dark red nape,
the blackish wings and tail
shaped for speed and thrill,
my rump eye circle
pretty as ringed islanders dancing
before Captain Cook, their arms
full of breadfruit and cowry shell.

Now they cover their breasts
and I will be asked to stay
in the back parts of the forest.

If I had arms I would make you
a Pisco Sour from special grapes
grown in Peru and chirp
into the night unless you are
ashamed to drink with wild birds.

Bernard Henrie won the Interboard Poetry Competition (IBPC) for January, 2005. His recent publications include MindFire Renew, Zafusy, Desert Moon Review, Word Riot and Tertulia. Four of his poems were anthologized in the Wild Poetry Anthology. His first book of poetry, Letters From the Java Sea, will appear in Fall, 2005. Henrie administered social service programs in Los Angeles County for 15 years before turning a hobby, currency trading, into a home based business. He lives at the edge of the Mojave Desert 60 minutes north of Los Angeles. He is a foreign film nut.