sprightly chickadee
sticks beak in snow. emerges.
with frosty goatee.

birches at day’s end:
the sun chooses at random
several to keep

sage lichen dabbled
on a gray and white canvas
a subtle beauty

rainy December.
a red flag slices the drab:
northern cardinal

two lonesome brothers
kept each other company
for a century

four open perches;
nuthatches and chickadees
take turns on just one

red-breasted nuthatch
throws out several black seeds
before taking one

high above the trees
eagle nest waits silently
for coming spring brood

A wasps’ paper orb
hangs fragilely on a branch
over the river.