Homo Furens
by Tony Aiello


Strangest thing, a small owl
tame and tucked away
in the hydraulic innards
of an abandoned Iraqi cannon.
Two guys from 1st Platoon
stashed the stealthy bird
in the empty brass
from a 155mm round.
Top found them out,
ordered it set free.
Sgt Gregory dumped it
on the ground. Big-eyed,
the bird only swiveled
its head around, fluffed
its chest feathers, loosed
a screech eerie and alone,
but wouldn't move. Dick
tipped the owl with
his boot to shoo it,
but it only stared,
so Gregory stepped hard,
catching its left wing
which popped from its
shoulder. Again, a screech
as the injured thing
flapped across the sand
before it sat, folded
its one good wing, nestled
down as if settling
into itself. Picked up
by wind, bloody & broken
feathers kicked across desert floor,
signifying nothing much.






Copyright © 2024 by Red River Review. First Rights Reserved. All other rights revert to the authors.
No work may be reproduced or republished without the express written consent of the author.