Angry Birds
Douglas Twells
in memory of my memory
Driving down Hanley
this afternoon—
where was I going?
I don’t recall—but
halfway between
Clayton Road
and Highway 40
I heard
a funny noise
like creatures
quarreling
on the roof
of the car
then—
rearview mirror—
I saw them—
flapping away—
two white birds
which actually—
now landing
tangled
in the middle of
the road and
oncoming traffic—
turned out
to be
the towels
I couldn’t find
(but just did)
after washing
the car.
Following service in the Peace Corps in India, Douglas Twells completed his MA in South Asian languages and civilizations at the University of Chicago. He later returned to India for further study in Sanskrit and Hindi at Banaras Hindu University. Retired from a career in university administration, Twells continues to write poetry and study ancient Indian literature. His poems have appeared in several journals including Arlington Literary Journal, Four Tulips, and The Writers’ Journal. Twells and his wife divide their time between St. Louis and Chicago.