Playing Fair and Being Kind

I just spotted a Cardinal. A beautiful speciman! He is perched in one ot those trees not more than a few years old that have sprung up from acorns that roll across the road from Claudia’s yard by the cove. He is planning his day, I am sure. I wish for him success in whatever he decides to do. Here for you is a Cardinal story.

KAMIKAZE CARDINAL

The red bird flings himself

Against my window

Time after time,

This determined, obsessing warrior

In crimson – the rising sun, glares

And flies with deadly accuracy

At the son-of-a-bitch

He hates; his own reflection.

This scene is disturbing but

Since it’s been played out

Over a million times with me

As an audience I have lost

Any empathic or sympathetic urges,

Here I stand in my kitchen,

Slouched by the stove frying organic sausage,

Tongs dangling from my forgotten fingers,

Expressionless, impassive witness

To a disturbing scene of insane

Behavior,

I, looking equally insane,

Uncombed, unwashed, fully dressed for

Repairing water pipes under the house,

Standing placidly by the cast iron

Frying pan with sizzling meat,

Staring at my (now) pet kamikaze

Cardinal.

It all makes sense.

G. M. Goodwin

Friday April 19, 2013