The Incident Before Work

We were all shocked
When you hid the bird in your pocket
The tiny thing was still moving
And then you handled it like a dove
This was more terrible than the thump
Of its warm body against a window

Could you feel its wings struggling
To spread and fly from your hip?

During lunch, no one ate, or spoke
While you stood eating your sandwich
And nothing could prepare us for you
Holding the pocket open with your thumb
And commanding the bird to fly, fly, fly
From the dark triangle you made of the pocket.

I was the only one scared enough to ask,
"What are you doing?" as the bird shot to the sky
Like a winged rocket, unmanned but alive
You said, "I'm preaching the gospel to every living creature."