This rough draft came out of a challenge to use the expression “an encirclement of birds”.

(First draft)

Encirclement of Sparrows
 

Roar like a train through the living room
  extra blankets on windows, surely frozen shut.
  Power lines down
  heat off, lights off,
  all shut down.


 Move away from the windows, he said.
  I want to be near when the sun rises, she said,
  You know me and sunshine-- I’ve got to--
  I know he said,
  I know, and they
  huddled under yet another blanket and shut down.

Listen, she whispered,
  hours or days or moments later,
  I hear the sunrise.
 Gray light through the curtains, and then
  tap, tap, tap
 on the tree branches
  scraping the windows
  an encirclement of sparrows.