The Gathering 

They wait silently in the trees and bushes
For the seeds I throw
Every morning on the wooden deck

The juncos
a variety of sparrows
One with a missing tail who, when they all
descend, makes his way among the others like
a little roly poly
A spotted towhee colorfully outfitted in
flaming orange, black, and white
An occasional chickadee flitting by
All gobbling what they can before the
inevitable arrival of the bullies,
Three Steller's jays who crowd the space
and hog the food

And then, my favorite
The single, faithful black and white warbler
topped with a bright white crown like a
cotton ball plopped atop his head
Darts back and forth from under the nearest
bush to snag one seed at a time
The same crowd every day
And every day a pleasure!

Jean Munsee