Poetry in Motion

San Francisco

Cranes in August

Kim Addonizio

Cranes in August

They clutter the house, 
awkwardly folded, unable 
to rise. My daughter makes 
and makes them, having heard 
the old story: what we create 
may save us. I string 
a long line of them over 
the window. Outside 
the gray doves bring 
their one vowel to the air, 
the same sound 
from many throats, repeated.


“Cranes in August” by Kim Addonizio. All rights reserved. Reprinted with author’s permission. Muni Art 2021, San Francisco Beautiful, sfbeautiful.org. Poster design by Kundan Baidwan.