when you come back

when you come back to me
you will be different
with new dark brown lines
on your soft chest
feathers grown long
to bend down slightly
at wingtips

when you come back to me
I will be different
with new green lines
where my bark split
slightly
I can breathe now
more deeply

when you come back to me
I will show you
the wall of stones
thrown sideways by flood
and the soft sand
where you can stretch your feet down
to land

and you will show me
the sheen of your claws
the polish
where last night's meal
left no traces