Proud Turkeys

Counting your blessings as they hatch and grow
you'll start to feel uncomfortable
as each one takes off far away
with small wings and heavy.
Proud turkeys with the gift of flight!

And you were right,
they drop like an anvil out of a wagon in the grasses
climbing through foggy passes on soaking wings
and get caught up with wolves and young, hot foxes
and do Jesus Christ who knows what sorts of things.
You read them stories from the Book of Bad Breaks
every night when they were sleeping safe inside their eggs
hoping to impart at least a premonition about the dangers they'd face.

But barely two, they're lost to you now:
proud turkeys with the gift of flight.
Big-breasted babies, way unsteady,
and really heavy and not too bright.