The Field of a Hundred Sparrows and Two Cats

Between the house

and a farmer’s several silo’s and monstrous see-through hay barn

Unused last year

weeds had a field day growing tall, strong, interspecies unprejudiced

Now a foot of snow

flattens or bows most of the weeds, bringing their seeds earthward and

a hundred sparrows

daily dine on the seeds after dawn and before dusk, hanging on the stems

sliding in the snow

flitting here and there in groups, singly, constantly keeping eyes out

for two black cats

living under the porch that crash the birds’ dining, hoping to glean their own

stray little delicacies

A Bird in the Bath, More Fun than in the Bush

Stands on the edge, tall, looks around carefully

Twists this way, that way, steps to the left, then to the right

Takes the first plunging-dip, head first, body follows

Comes up with enthusiastic splashing, shivering, shakes water everywhere

Wings flap like high speed crazy, tail flips back and forth

Stands on the edge, tall, looks around carefully

Twists around to preen the back feathers, the wing feathers

Second plunging-dip, then third, happily splashing, flipping, flapping

Stands on the edge, stretches, quivers the feathers

Flutters into the tree, drips on the grass