Owl

The owl in the barn
behind the house
is a bird of much cortesia
who, though he stutters,
never spoke an errant word
to anybody that inquired.

'Who? ' he'll sigh
endlessly or 'I
would tell you if I knew, my dear-'
a fine reply.

Then down he drops
in to feast on mice
that drift too near, that stir the leaves
detected by his perfect ears, his ochre eyes