A trio of trials. A trio of helpers. A trio of gifts. They follow her through relentless imprints through the longest of nights.

She refuses to cut the fast way out.
She refuses to uncork the chemical fix.
She refuses to call the online hope wrapped round despair.

Instead she conjures the avian creatures from beyond the pane in the darkest hour.

gleam mercurial on the feeder sparrow

skim between cracks a wagtail glimmer

squawk through swoop a gull segues light

at a fingertip
from dust of an unlit wick
a triple flicker

Diana Webb

note: title taken from Shakespeare sonnet 22