a cardinal
ashamed of
his crimson cloak
stoically bashing
his hollow
skull against
the tree trunk
hoping to
become a
woodpecker

so frazzled
they strapped
him to a
telescoping stage
and forced
him to perform
once an hour

the mad king
of the sparrows
a flash of
vermillion darting
from his own
dire reflection
fearing rejection
his sorrowful cries
dutifully sounding
out the hour