Holding On

the cat took to sleeping in the kitchen where there are less windows the wind hammered at the front and back doors it circled the walls then raced off to spook my shadow a sparrow flew up under the eve of the roof it clung to it kinda sideways-on the way parakeets do the wire netting of the screen door bulged in and out as I held onto the latch the eyes in the birds head bulged also its plumage did a crazy dance its neck got crooked and stiff the howling wind took the bird out onto the road where it fluttered later I watched TV a movie about some demented weather was on I switched channels