City Starlings

Waiting for the light to change (A busy urban street), I noticed quite a gathering Not far from my two feet. Upon a sewer grate I saw Some starlings pecking ‘round Although I didn’t even See a crumb upon the ground. Their beaks dipped down, oblivious To passersby or wheels, Intent on filling up on what, To them, comprises meals. A couple flew away, replaced By new ones in a flash, Not plentiful as pigeons but On city streets, as brash. *the original title of this poem was "grackles on a grate," but when i googled to confirm that the birds i saw were, indeed, grackles, i discovered they were starlings. poetic license only goes so far...