Listening to Cardinals

This morning

I was surrounded

By a conclave of cardinals

Young ones

Whose feathers have not yet blossomed into

The bright reds

And luscious deep browns of adulthood

The ones who flit

Back and forth and dart

In and out of my aviary

Also known as my deck

Where morning coffee

And quiet contemplation

Are my other companions

 

The conclave of cardinals

Called back and forth

To each other

As if to say “watch me”

And then they hopped across the treetops

Sending down

Shower after shower of

Last night’s raindrops

I can almost hear them giggling at me

As the raindrops

Avalanche down from above

 

They get my attention

And I watch them closely

I listen as well

Because I am certain that they are saying to me

“All is not lost

“Look around

“Be delighted”

 

And so I do

And so I am

 

 

 

 

 

Poem and photos by C. Alicia Randolph, 28 August 2019

This poem began percolating over my second cup of coffee, as I contemplated the news of our world and grieved.

The photos were taken after listening to and following the advice of the birds.