After one but before the next, In a tree where new life writhed and flexed Two birds emerged to hold the world And grow from feeble talons curled
But fate would see them part that day As lightning cut their branch away By winds to distant places sent Almost as if it all had meant
That though their bloodied wounds would fade, They'd wonder where their brother lay For every day from that day on They'd wait to hear a certain song
In vain, for years, thought one was strong And one was not, for far too long Until his bones and thoughts were old, And feathers burnt and lost and cold
The stronger of the two could see A distant bird, how weak was he In drawing near but knowing not, Just who he was, or why, or what
The stronger talons tore at flesh And stripped away that feathered mess And all without a sound or cry, Or even ever knowing why
Yet as the sun began to sink He seemed to sense, he seemed to think That soon his brother might appear From somewhere close, from somewhere near Convinced this was his brother's fate, Above his corpse, he sat... to wait