That day the wind blew across the lawn,
bending the leaves of grass to its will, and atop
the untrimmed tree, the evergreen tree,
a bird decreed herself the star, and for a time
she reigned supreme:
acrobat birds falling backwards from the fence, reflex wings
catching them before collision, her own self unmoved
as becomes the star, planes soaring beyond the realm of her sky,
a foreign bird encroaching upon her terrain, the wind forcing her away,
another bird perching upon the telephone line, voicing his impatience,
voicing his intent, voicing his desire for his turn, and the wet clouds descending
and taking the birds and leaving the trees bare.