By Ram Chandran

Longing

the longing

to hug my little daughter—

waiting for next visitation day

my longing

to belong to an another world—

a sparrow's nest

a bird on my windowsill—

my longing

to fly in the vast blue sky

Ram Chandran

By Mark Hendrickson

Swallows

blind date

new bird

on the wire

two birds flit

from tree to tree;

home shopping

getting takeout

while his wife watches the kids

he gathers worms

Mark Hendrickson