Stunning

A starling chick flew
SMACK
against the window today
gave us both a scare
and sat
stunned on the sill
beak wide
throat quivering
trying to recover

I breathed
with it
watched its circular eye
double glazed
double dazed
neither of us moved
and I
despite the privilege of a close-up view
because I knew a cat was stalking
willed it to fly