This week's poem is Virtuoso by Leslie Moore. It is read by Gibson Fay-LeBlanc.
Virtuoso
Now that I have the app,
I can roll over in bed at 4:22 am,
wave my phone at the window,
tap record, and identify the bird
who's been trilling arias fortissimo
for the last half hour.
Not a migrant warbler,
tweeting sweet sweet sweet
I'm so sweet,
not a song sparrow calling
Madge-Madge-Madge,
put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle.
The culprit is a common Robin,
the most abundant bird
on our block.
I thought they were too busy
catching worms to sing
complex cantatas.
Not this backyard Pavarotti,
tuning up before he tucks
into breakfast.
Not this early bird who opens
his throat and hits high Cs
in his morning reveille.
Cheerily, cheer up, cheer up,
he sings. Cheerily, wake up,
wake up! I hear.