Mutilated Dawn

Shrills of crowing
syndicate morning snivels.

A rooster darts
over a cage wall
and scuffles its wings,
craning its feisty neck to swirl.

Outside the cage,
many fantasies rise.
Fumblings,
and he expects a dawn.

What a shock!
a bullying hand proceeds
through the hole,
like a swinging snake on a frog,
dismaying his fancy.

Watching the fall-over fate
he crows
a dribbling siren
and heralds
a mutilated dawn.