The binocular owl, <br />fastened to a limb <br />like a lantern <br />all night long, <br /> <br />sees where all <br />the other birds sleep: <br />towhee under leaves, <br />titmouse deep <br /> <br />in a twighouse, <br />sapsucker gripped <br />to a knothole lip, <br />redwing in the reeds, <br /> <br />swallow in the willow, <br />flicker in the oak - <br />but cannot see poor <br />whippoorwill <br /> <br />under the hill <br />in deadbrush nest, <br />who's awake, too - <br />with stricken eye <br /> <br />flayed by the moon <br />her brindled breast <br />repeats, repeats, repeats its plea <br />for cruelty.<br /><br />May Swenson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-woods-at-night/
