“Birds on a Line” by Pam Brodersen

Dear mother hen
I dreamt you’re now gold-plated
angel-winged
and ruby-hearted

I dreamt you’re now a nanny
in heaven’s nursery
tending cherubs
as you had done back here
as ever
there’d be no sweeter song to your soul
than the chirps of those tender lights

pray tell
did the choirmaster make it to heaven
whose fiery voice
spurred weaklings to dare death
and melted iron hearts to tears

is our rich uncle smouldering in hell
who embarned tons of grains for thankless weevils
while you and I scavenged for crumbs
as you rode down the ever-busy new road

did you pause by the crossroad
to peep down the old alleyway
now overgrown by tall grass and spider web
did you spot our famished Patriarchs
costumed in sackcloth and ash
grieving our marriage to new Gods
who brook no rival, being jealous

Ekweremadu Uchenna-Franklin writes from Kaduna, Nigeria. He was Longlisted for the Erbacce Prize For Poetry 2015; he was the First Runner-up for PEN Nigeria/Saraba Magazine Poetry Prize 2011, and made it to the Book of Winners, Castello di Duino International Poetry Competition 2010. His works have appeared in Coe Review, The Write Room, Saraba Magazine, Wilderness House Literary, A&U American AIDS Magazine, Kalahari Review and elsewhere.