Delicate Song 

A gray-brown wren
no bigger than a shallot
lays sticks, leaves, grass, moss
between the discharge port
and the starter recoil of a lawnmower,
its spinning blades
and choking exhaust
idle for now.

On the red metal chassis
of this cutting machine,
a home now waits for offspring
to emerge from eggs
the size of marbles
that will face dangers
as great as the killer blades below.

This mother wren
will leave her nest
to hunt and gather
while predators lurk,
paws crush,
blades cut.

But her tiny beak
despite the raiding of her nest
or a labyrinth of other dangers
can free a larger currency
anywhere she goes
through the miracle
of the sweet notes
within her delicate song.

Marianne Brems is the author of the full length poetry collection Stepping Stones (2024) and three chapbooks. Her poems have also appeared in literary journals including The Bluebird Word, Front Porch Review, Remington Review, and Lavender Review. She is a nominee for the Eric Hoffer Book Award 2025. Favorite poets include Kay Ryan, Ellen Bass, and Naomi Shihab Nye. She lives, cycles, and swims in Northern California. Website: www.mariannebrems.com.