Wild Birds of Summer

At different times

throughout the day

I hear some of you

before I see you.

At four in the morning

The charismatic herring gull

rudely awakens me

with his laughing, purring, mewling

His wife calls in the morning news

she heard it first before the rest.

Later on, raven parents

take the family out for meals

get into classroom circles

play, learn, love.

Blackbirds dance

hold worms in their beaks

like trophies.

‘See what I got! Aren’t I awesome?”

The shy, sweet tern

explores, wide eyed, hopeful

a little coquettish.

And finally,

dog eared and lumbering

basking in late summer evenings

like they have all the time in the world

wood pigeons

comfortable in their aged

iridescence.