Outside Voices Rise by Michael Minassian

Overhead, a sliver of moon
yellow and bright
like a slice of melon

hovers in the night
brimming with sweet
juice, unsalted tears.

In the garden, birds serenade,
all voluminous vowels
and crusty consonants

until their language
grows inside your mind
building nests

as dark wings rise—
and shadows gather
beneath the spreading trees.

Michael Minassian is a Contributing Editor for Verse-Virtual, an online poetry journal. His chapbooks include poetry: The Arboriculturist and photography: Around the Bend. His poetry collections Time is Not a River, Morning Calm, and A Matter of Timing are all available on Amazon. For more information: https://michaelminassian.com.