Lessons from the Yard
Reading for Poetry and Prose April 15, 2021
© Catherine M Thompson
birds light upon the feeder
and quickly fly away
they shelter in the cedars
the squirrels stop their play
their silent stillness tells us
a hawk must be nearby
we look but cannot see it
no matter how we try
not a twitter or a chatter
not a rustle or a flutter
stillness reigns for oh so long
not a motion, not a song
now suddenly there’s movement
birds call out and come to feed
squirrels give chase and gnaw at walnuts
death has left them to their needs
although we could not see the danger
creatures all knew it was there
they have ways to warn each other
ways to wait and to take care
it’s a lesson as we watch them
come and go within our yard
it’s a time for global caution
though isolation can be hard
we must think about the future
guard ourselves for others well
avoid death where it is lurking
until it’s safe as time will tell
it may take months or even years
until once more our merry ways
will let us dance and sing together
in joyful post-pandemic days