A conclave of cardinals flew across the lake

To assess the situation from a vantage on the fence.

A bold jay dropped out of the oak

Of which the squirrels paid little mind.

One, then two and another dove fell

From a hidden place in the oak

Like snowflakes to the lawn.

 

“It’s so peaceful,” Nancy said.

“I love Sunday mornings when we can sit

And talk and drink our coffee.

You work too hard and have nothing left

For me and Luke and Zach.

They’ll be gone soon, you know.

But by Sunday morning you’re relaxed,

Enough to be tolerable.

I do love you,” she added.

 

Peaceful?

 

If only she knew how much that old buck squirrel

Wanted to kill the younger one

He keeps chasing around the sweet gum.

Those 4 cardinals were 5 yesterday

One picked off by the red fox

That ate the suet pulled from the string

I hung high out of reach of the coon.

You didn’t hear the coon chattering in the middle of the night

As he vehemently cussed the sly fox

That ran off with his dinner.

The small dove that’s being chased by one

With iridescent cheeks

Will never have a clutch its own

Not that with it anything’s so wrong.

Minus that old bitch the little dove would prosper.

 

How beautiful and peaceful think

The visitors cloaked in low orbit

The blue planet looks with all its life

In symbiotic rhythm

As armies wait with safeties off

With lust to pull the trigger.

 

The errant thoughts I often have

Of places I would not go –

I hope…I think…

I love my wife, how blessed I am!

Best she doesn’t know.

 

As we grow old together

Our telomeres are slipping

While cosmic rays destroy

The fabric of our DNA

And we sit quietly sipping

Our coffee on this fine morning – unaware.

 

Dare I state the obvious?

Truly ignorance is bliss.