From Hagar ~

In half-sleep she heard

the seagulls crying, sound

of distress unsettling her…

so brief, then nothing–

she wondered if she’d

only imagined the cries

but they wouldn’t leave her…

over several days

she thought of them

had her birds tried to send

her a message, like winged

prophets…was it harbinger

of coming loss perhaps…

she’d waited so long

for their return

would not have wanted

to miss even one word…

not in this strange

impassioned winter

its contradictory silence…

its restless wonderings–