wooden stairs I climbed, my feet
bound tight with string. I climbed
up into the darkness with a pack at my heels
a pack of dogs or wolves or mice or deer I could not tell.
into darkness danced we all, springing
up on silent feet
in time to the drums and to the pipes way up above.

what song played pipe and drum, that wound its way below?
though eagerly I danced and sprang to it, I do not know.

old wood resonated underneath my fingers
my chest echoed out the beat of drums. I climbed
with blood humming deeply like the song between the notes
of the pipes that I could hear
drawing near
and I emerged.

I burst onto the landing the first creature from the herd
they could be dogs or mice or deer; I knew I was a bird.