Death of a Cardinal

Red robesI pushed

fluttered the soil over

in front ofhim.

my windshield.

Crumbling, stiffening, slidingThe dirt on

resting onmy hands would

the wash away.

His robes

Trembled

against his beak.

His black eyes

rolled, stopped,

then glazed.

Stopping the car

the cardinal

did not move.

I held him as

others

moved past.

The cardinal’s heart

beat, beat

stopped.

I buried the cardinal

in the soil

behind my house.

I wrapped

his robes around

his beak.

I could not

look at his eyes

Then,