bald eagle rises, climbs, settles atop an immense nest; cormorant; peregrine falcon; murders of crow ride fearsome black sky waves; vulture circles; red-tailed hawk hangs out; red-headed woodpecker drills tree fort holes; hoo owl; coo dove; oriole; robin; pigeon; phoebe calls feeebee; kingfisher; kingbird rules realms; cardinal; blue jay; bluebird; yellow-bellied warbler teaches English sparrow to eat spider; dee-dee chickadee; goldfinch; tiny, got the moves hummingbird—

camouflaged quail; partridge; ruffed grouse; arresting pheasant; turkey; grass; sedge; shrub;  skink; water, garter, big bull snake coil in shed; snapping, painted turtle burrows eggs in sand; ant mound; beetle colony (ladybug); beehive; paper wasp comb; hornet nest; daddy longlegs; grasshopper; cicada; ch-ch  katydid; cricket; tick; aphid; flea; centipede; gnat; mosquito; firefly lights; damsel, dragonfly dance; moth (inchworm); butterfly (monarch); warty toad; frog leaps—
shrew; mouse; mole; vole; gopher; bat; rat; chipmunk; ground, flying squirrel occupy attic crawl space; groundhog chucks under steps; skunk sprays; rabbit; badger; weasel; opossum; raccoon scream-mates on deck, poops on outdoor stairs; porcupine shoots quills; fox, coyote stalk; white- tailed deer huddle; fisher, bobcat, cougar pounce; gray wolf; black, brown bear; big elk, moose—

pond; lake; river; falls; fern; reed; cattail; horsetail; mussel shell trails; minnow; bass; trout; muskie; walleye; pike; mink; otter den; beaver dam; muskrat lodge; great blue heron rests on one skinny leg; kids rescue trumpeter swan with a torn wing; gull; goose; pelican; osprey; egret; sandhill crane bugles; arty wood duck dabbles in water; dog swims after tremolo-calling loon—

lily; lady slipper; ginger; geranium; bloodroot; rose; iris; violet; daisy; phlox; poppy; chicory; aster; blazing star; milkweed; dandelion; goldenrod; cardinal flower; grape, black, blue, straw, rasp berry; spongy moss; mushroom (morel); algae bloom; fifty-three native trees; honeycrisp apple; quaking aspen; evergreen; maple; red, white pine; birch; bur oak; ash drops gold leaf—

you

me.

Marge Barrett is the author of a chapbook of poems, My Memoir Dress, a book of poetry, If You Have Something to Say, Margaret, and a memoir, Called: The Making & Unmaking of a Nun. Her work also appears in other journals and anthologies. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota and has taught in high school, college, and adult programs, including the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. margebarrett.com

Posted in: Poetry