House Repair with Birdsong

So that everything in this moment bewilders—Larry Levis

That startled look of window frames emptied 
of windows, walls stripped to expose wiring,
immigrants ripped from city streets.

Our carpenters call out to each other 
in Spanish and English. But hammers 
all speak the same language.

A thrush in its silo of backyard trees cocks 
his head at the wreckage, and whistles. 
Why so much cruelty, tra la? 

Then it is winging away without stopping
to learn about borders from us.