Junco

For Katrina (my sister), a poem of her favorite bird, the junco. A farewell to our winter snowbird, as spring is almost here.......

A Junco by Tom Gannon

a junco must be a quiet one
when the dark shell comes,
must close eyes, wings against the cold


then white light breeze--up to sing
can sing and sing, can sing
and thank the thawed brink of a puddle for a quick drink and sing


down to hard snow ground for scattered seed
sing and seed sing and seed
and back to the hard snow pine to sing
thanks sing,

as the white light breeze slightens,
less busy--preen a wing--
last burst of sing--
until all soft, and still, and warm


then a junco must be silent
when the dark shell comes,
then i must close my eyes; my wings; against the cold

*I made the junco brooch for her for Christmas.