I know why Saint Francis
felt called to preach
the Gospel to the birds.

While he fed them
meager scraps of his poverty,
he saw humanity
held no monopoly on sin.

The little feathered fiends
attacked each other,
beak and talon,
too exhausted to sing
in the evening
of a bloody days carnage.

He witnessed the tiny Chickadee,
protecting her nestling chicks,
diving at predatory Crows.

He witnessed the Finch
squander more time
fighting his brothers for suet
than enjoying the fat himself.

Even Cardinal against Cardinal
were the equal of any
papal power struggle.

Yes,
Saint Francis knew a needy congregation
when he saw one.
He recognized
Sin
was no syndrome of a Nature
needless of forgiveness,
rather the cancer eating the body of a world
begging to be healed.

So, he preached salvation
and kissed the lepers,
as he strolled,
bare foot in the dust,

watching savage doves
at war
in the gore soaked
killing fields of Assisi.