I watch the swans
white as snow
in their elegance
coming together with their mate
making a heart with their necks

I watch the geese
brown and black intermingling
to form a “V” in the sky
caring for their youth with
tender ferocity

I watch the crows
shiny black intensity
solving puzzles and collecting trinkets
never forgetting kindness
or malice

I watch pigeons
abandoned by people who were once cherished friends
roaming rooftops with their mates
their cooing a constant bass line
to the bumbling city

Our constant winged companions
their absence marked by silence
a true marker of something gone awry
We’ve got lots to learn from them
about community,
care,
and love

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Anna Samson (they/she) is a desi, queer, disabled advocate and writer based in Tkaronto (colonially known as Toronto, Canada). They completed their Bachelor of Arts in English & Cultural Studies from McMaster University in 2023 and the iAM Intro to Poetry Program with JAYU Canada in Spring 2023. Anna initially began writing as a way to cope with becoming disabled, and has since expanded their scope to write about social justice, love, friendship, and anything else that evokes emotions in them. Some of their written works have been published in BiPan Magazine, Wishbone Words Magazine, and FLARE Magazine. You can find more of their work on social media @annasamsonwrites