BACK PORCH

Sitting there

alone

on the back porch,

I spot

a quiet

brown bird

gliding,

turning,

landing

perfectly on a 22 foot high empty branch,

only

to take off

almost immediately,

escaping into the woods.

It was then

I saw the hawk

on a nearby tree

shake its wings

with pride,

for a split second.

It was then

I could hear it saying,

“Don’t even think of it.”

You have to know the territory.

By the way,

there is another rocking chair

here on this back porch

waiting for you.

I hope I don't scare you away.

© Andrew Costello, Reflections, 2008