Learning From the Birds

A poem.

Learning from the birds

Last March nine gulls flew past our
house calling out loud and high;
blown inland by a sturdy wind.
Our crows, confused, took off and
headed for the barn; the cardinal
went hiding in the elm.
Then all the dark long night I thought
of birds left trembling in their nests with
rain and lightning keeping all of us awake.
My heart went wandering with sadness for
the way storms try to interrupt our lives as
well as all the birds'.
But morning came with an apology from
the bright sun as birds began to sing
dismissing dark and picking up the leaves,
chirping again "Hello, hello," knowing the
food they put aside was safe and leaves
would quickly take on colors in the spring.
– Darren Stone