In an Arkansas town, it rained down thousands of birds,

ripped from the skies by the solemn precession of extinction

These birds, glistening vibrant arrows tumbling toward Earth,

like black ribbons let loose from the sun

A skew shadow of cloud, diving from the will of reckoned decisions,

spirals in the proclamation of death, like a magnet clamp to the perishing soil

Engaged in former heights, with heads tilted and eyes rolled back as in mid-dream,

of rapturous explosions of surf colliding on the fretted cliffs far from here

Ascending through the navigation of air –

a solitary plunge swathes in shade blotting out the sky

In the magnitude of a winged eclipse, overcast rain in droplets of black,

quenches the vigorous yearn of elementals, clamoring in its greed of an end

In a wisp of a breath this existence is cancelled,

trained in validation with the soles of our feet pointing downward

A last hurrah of a flock circling toward nowhere

diving, crashing, entangled in suddenness

In an Arkansas town, it rained down thousands of birds,ripped from the skies by the solemn precession of extinction  
These birds, glistening vibrant arrows tumbling toward Earth, like black ribbons let loose from the sun
A skew shadow of cloud, diving from the will of reckoned decisions,spirals in the proclamation of death, like a magnet clamp to the perishing soil
Engaged in former heights, with heads tilted and eyes rolled back as in mid-dream,of rapturous explosions of surf colliding on the fretted cliffs far from here 
Ascending through the navigation of air – a solitary plunge swathes in shade blotting out the sky
In the magnitude of a winged eclipse, overcast rain in droplets of black,quenches the vigorous yearn of elementals, clamoring in its greed of an end
In a wisp of a breath this existence is cancelled,trained in validation with the soles of our feet pointing downward
A last hurrah of a flock circling toward nowhere
diving, crashing, entangled in suddenness

 — Christopher Grasso 

Eye On Life Poetry Contest 2010-2011 Honorable Mention