“Heraclitan Bird-Songs” a poem by Michel-Vincent Corbeaux

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog. I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and Today I’m reading you a poem

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by Michel-Vincent Corbeaux,

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who is an admin for the Furry Written Works group on Telegram

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and an editor for Fyresong Publishing

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residing in Texas,

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and you can find more of his poetry

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on Fur Affinity and SoFurry

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at Corvid_Conquest.

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Please enjoy “Heraclitan Bird-Songs”,

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poetry by Michel-Vincent Corbeaux

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I. “The Heraclitan Bird

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Prepares For Death”

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Denied by all, the black and cursèd bird

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Encased within the pang of pain and grieving,

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And painted with a crest

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that sang deceiving,

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Defied the world --

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corrupting all they heard.

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By savage river hid from land absurd,

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It made its rest in thorny nest believing

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Rewards of love were never its achieving;

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Deservèd of the judgement for its word.

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To wander on in aimless wingèd travels --

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How suffering had made its spirit fled,

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Exiled, in crisis cries its frame unfed;

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Exhausted still, its little will unravels --

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Near setting sun, its world undone in red;

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Defiled, the thirsting flame engulfs the dead.

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II. “Resurrection

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Of The Heraclitan Bird”

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Return to earth, that brought your birth, in ash:

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Inside your hell, and raised unwell,

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your singing Sounds silent now -- at last these notes quit ringing --

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Ensnared, your toil within the soil would clash.

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But many beasts were phased by such a lash;

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Instead the spirits mourn, as fountain springing --

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Resolve to live,

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and leave your sorrow -- clinging,

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Despaired the beasts --

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so torn at brethren’s crash.

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For as they spoke

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that futile seeming prayer --

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Like alchemy allows the metal turn --

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You thus awoke with joyous croak! The urn Now breaks in hopeful flight --

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you take to air -- O’er world of bliss,

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without the worlds that burn,

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When fresh, with kiss to heaven,

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you return. This was

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“Heraclitan Bird-Songs” by Michel-Vincent Corbeaux,

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read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog.