by K.G. Ricci
White-Tailed Ptarmigan
Never before had I rooted
against the hunt, the cresting wings
of owl and hawk,
the luminous intensity of a fox.
I spent years learning
not to be prey and that means
learning to bite and scrape,
to scream your ferocity
and walk like a bear in the dark.
But you took me to see birds,
those speckles of brown
nearly invisible against the rock.
What a husky song, improbable
between lichen and cliff’s edge.
Your hands fluttered as you described
their flight patterns
and I watched astonished
to encounter myself
in their calling,
to realize I could still remember
being so tender and open
to hurting.
Faith Allington is a writer, gardener and lover of mystery parties who resides in Seattle, Washington (USA). Her work has previously appeared in various literary journals, including Crab Creek Review, Cosmic Daffodil, Gold Man Review and Floating Bridge Review.
K.G. Ricci is a self-taught NYC artist who has been creating collages for the past seven years. In that time his work has evolved from the larger 24×48 panels to 7×10 books and most recently to a series of 18×24 collages on cardboard titled Incongruities. His work has been in gallery exhibitions throughout the country, and he has appeared in numerous on-line exhibitions. Many of Ken’s most recent “visual stories” have been featured in several literary magazines. Instagram @kennethricci.