Peggy Shumaker

N S

Spirit of the Bat

Hair rush, low swoop —
so those of us

stuck here on earth
know — you must be gods.

Or friends of gods,
granted chances

to push off into sky,
granted chances

to hear so well
your own voice bounced

back to you
maps the night.

Each hinge
in your wing’ s

an act of creation.
Each insect

you snick out of air
a witness.

You transform
obstacles

into sounds,
then dodge them.