Peter Makuck: Grackles
They darken the morning,
hog the feeder,
keep chickadees,
titmice, and finches
from the millet
and sunflower seeds.
But when I appear
at the window,
they hit the air.
As long as I stay,
coffee in hand,
they keep their white eyes
and shiny black bodies
at a distance
half hidden in the leaves.
But after a few minutes
they become bold and
like dark thoughts
return
unless I try another way
to keep them at bay.
Peter Makuck’s many books include Mandatory Evacuations (BOA, 2016).
Copyright 2019 Peter Makuck
