the sound
angry
plaintive
over
dark
my eyes upward
for the silhouetted
absence of sky
noisily led flock
but it’s a single goose
laboring low
hurling frustrations
earthward
pummeling soft gloom
with pained rumination
of betrayal
through muted branches
ambiguous outline
of span
the pre-dawn slurry
of muddied colors
gray

my daughter
once was singled out
scolded
for flamboyant use of crayon
realism the goal
“Only God’s colors are welcome”
bright red F
god’s choice for failure
in response
my daughter
reduced to shades of black and gray
capturing the moments
she explained
“when god enjoyed a pencil”

charcoal sketch
of hurting
flies into day

.