Blackbird On The Barbwire Poem by Vincent Bayer

Solitary blackbird
High up on a barbwire fence.
Your iridescent wings
Catching the late afternoon sun.
I see something
In your glittering black eyes.
Something disturbingly like contempt
As you look down
On this sad excuse
For a human...

We eye each other
For an awkward instant
Like two strangers on the street
Who have passed
Many times before.
You look at me
In half recognition
And then quickly look away.
As if wishing
To remain strangers...