a performance poem: for musicians and orator:

FOr the Twin cities Premiere, Todd Harper, writer, orator, piano: Nathan Hanson, tenor & soprano Saxophones: Brian Roessler, bass viol: ” SNeaky” Pete Hennig, drums.  at the Black Dog cafe, Tuesday, Dec 31 from 5-8 pm!

Under a heat vent         pouring our steam into the frozen air,

urban sparrow bounces   and hops  stirring the blood river  in his three inch body.

Feathers puffed out like a porcupine, urban   sparrow is tougher than you or I

-sleeping outside all winter!

Urban sparrow did not choose to be this  size- He is nnot CUTE!

Inside, he is bigger than Napolean, wilder than a grizzly.

Urban Sparrow is damned tired of feeding on your scraps, while you gorge on opulent feasts.  He is tired of begging for seeds and stale suet.

On the other side of  thin windows, he watches!

Urban sparrow dreams.

Urban Sparrow cruises the alleys,

Dive bombing senior citizens   hobbling  home from the bakery, ten below zero,

Otherwise empty streets   echoing with shrieks.

Urban sparrow is finding a way to break into your house,

–       to languish on every radiator,  pillage your cupboards,

–       trying to figure out what to do    with cream of wheat.

But now, it’s hop hop  the quickest of sleeps

But the most vivid of dreams.

Urban sparrow is flying south, so  far south that his plumage turns green and orange-

-where each tree is laden with fruit more delicious   than the others..

-where cats are a half inch long, and very tasty!

-where the sun is on full blast-

-Where Urban sparrow will tell Darwin to shove it !

But  when the dream is over, Urban Sparrow is carving out a life    in the snow

-and wind , and is surviving  . and while it is not perfect, it is a life.

Urban Sparrow Dreams.

Todd Harper