Enough?
Coming down the hill through deep snow,
I find a Breughel day.
I feel air as crisp and as breeze-free
as it had seemed in the dried paint.
One turkey buzzard soars
above the tallest tree,
where each night scores
will flap themselves to sleep.
There are no children nor any lake
to slide on --or fall through ice--
and wound a parent’s heart
with grief too deep to heal.
The young stag that with inborn skill
clears the scraped road
has nothing to fear; though
it’s the season, I bear no gun or bow.
High-tailing it, he dares me
to chase him into the dense growth.
No matter, for I am gob-stopped--
by the paint, the words, by all the stuff--
including a parent’s whispered fear,
“O, Son, isn’t reading about it enough?”
disemboweled squirrel
left in road by speeding ford
turkey buzzard feast
something small almost imperceptible is crawling across the porch
I have to get closer to see it; it is a tiny bug, so small it has no color
I wonder if my dogs have noticed; but they are asleep, not caring
leaves of my lilac tree capture my attention next; they seem to shimmer.
a different color on the back, kind of a silver sheen.
a tiny wren or sparrow flies downward; this interests me.
Birds usually fly up, unless there is rain water to dabble in.
This one landed on the edge of the cat door and promptly went inside.
Does she have a nest in my garage? This was curious.
She went in that flap as if it was her flap.
there is a whoo whoo whoo sound now
an owl in the afternoon? My ears struggle to hear.
Yes, it is an owl. In the day time? They are nocturnal!
Whoo Whoo Whoo; a third call.
This was remarkable.
A large shadow of a raptor brings my eyes skyward.
It is huge, black, a turkey buzzard?
Now there are two, now three, my final count is six.
They are circling above the marsh. Is there something dead?
I shudder.
One of my dogs is having a daymare. He is shuddering.
I lean down and pat him a bit, to reassure him.
falcon
hawk
vulture
eagle?
no matter
rooster sounds the alarm
chickens scatter
clucking up a storm
uh-oh
I note the red head
turkey buzzard
something is dead
Insanity floated through the door
An aberration with wild hair entered
Her mouth was open, blood ran out
Down her tunic, past her belt
She felt deranged, a lunatic from where?
There was a madness in the room now
I felt unbalanced, frenzied myself.
Where was my rationality? Why wasn’t I running?
Her fingernails formed into red claws
Almost talon-like, I was thinking of a turkey buzzard
Something unholy that would readily dig into roadkill.
She flashed her dead black eyes toward me.
I froze; terrified.
Wanted to scream, but nothing came out.
She began floating toward me.
Airmail via turkey buzzard, why not? Someone didst ask.
They are so ugly with their posteriors awful, decreed Cousin Mask.
But they can fly, so they avoid the traffic, which puts them in a great mood.
And best of all, they do not want money, all they want is fresh bloody food.
Who is the ugliest at the ugly bug ball?
Is it the hideous gnat or giraffe so tall?
Could it be that spitting camel with the ugly hump?
Or the orangutan with the butt that makes us jump?
Mayhaps it is the blue-footed boobie, a weird looking fellow
Or that weird looking duckling whose suit is off-color yellow.
Bloody turkey buzzard with mouth full of gore just came in.
He is not only ugly, but his carnivorous ways are an evil twin.
Octopus, penguin, goat, quail, each with an oddity.
Scorpion, wasp, rattlesnake with pattern of a vee….
Who is the ugliest at the ugly bug ball?
Starfish and squirrel get to pick but they went to the mall.
Could it be the mongoose, the peahen or yak?
Let’s choose the winner before they get back.
Sturgeon has a suggestion. It sounds like a wow.
Let’s call it a tie, and give them all a big whack.
I strutted a bit on my branch as I surveyed the others
They were commoners mostly songbirds, and two of my brothers.
Is that a great horn? A beautiful red cardinal asked in a trill.
I knew my stance was giving her and her friends quite a thrill.
My brothers began showing off, doing tricks, flying around.
They almost always act totally crazy when females are found.
A notoriously ugly turkey buzzard stopped by for a quick peek.
He flew off quickly when he saw the mouse I made squeak.
There was a rumor that an exotic blue-green peacock was in town.
Unfortunately she never showed up or I would have shown her around.
Is that just a Great Horn or is that THE Great Horn? I heard a robin ask.
I gave her a shuddered look that made her take a drink from her flask.
Intimidating other birds daily is what I easily and happily do.
If you were me, you would probably enjoy being the king, too.
My brothers of course had flown off by now, annoying another.
I heard them getting scolded by the real intimidator, our mother.
moist raccoon remnants
freshly murdered this morning
by a passing car
wild knows wild
a turkey buzzards sweet feast
tasty road kill stew
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