Voluntary Escape Hospital

Overcast in my living room
Bright and quiet out my window
Winter’s first real snow
Bringing birds to the hanging basket
For breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack, supper
All they want and they all want
Big and small, timid and bold, gentle and darting
Then Dylan sings in my headphones,
“Sayin’ name me someone that’s not a parasite”
And I want to cry for the smallest bird
The cute wonder of mechanical motion
A sucker