Saturday, August 28, 2010

The birds are outnumbered here

1
The birds are outnumbered here

The birds are outnumbered here.
They do the best the can.

They snatch the nibblets
left behind on the grass
under the picnic tables.

They gather the remains
of McDonald leftovers
left over on the curbs.

They make their little nests
from the litter
in parking lots.

But there is more
than they can recycle,
more trash, more scraps.

A daily tidal wave of debris
discarded by the disparaged--
A deplorable circle.

The birds can’t hand it all, and…
we are outnumbered by the careless.

Beyond I can see

2
Beyond, I can see

The birds are outnumbered here.
They do the best the can.

They snatch the nibblets
left behind on the grass
under the picnic tables.

Grocery bags
are snagged by fences
or flutter in the trees

Lunch and dinner
leftovers are left over
on the curbs.

But I can see sunflowers
in the garden
across the street.

And I can see the river
twinkling day or night
in the sun or street light.

Beyond, I can see
the skyline in the sunsets
and trains moving east and west.