a family of Carolina Wrens
nested in my garage 
for the third year

this year 
their young fluttered around
panicked 
clinging to curtains, boogie boards
the lawnmower, and sliding behind 
propped up items
while the parents hopped
under the narrow space 
at the bottom of the door
to glare and chirp at me

i caught them all 
as gently as i could
one at a time
felt the
heartbreaking want
the childish desire
to keep them safe

but they would die
my family would have said
mocked me for being
soft hearted
hide a smile behind their hand
because it isn’t man-like
to cry over such small things

my sons helped me catch them
watched with worried eyes
as i told them, i wished we could
keep all four of them
as they flitted from my fingers 
into a tree where their parents 
waited
I told them that they would
just be fine

but tonight
we’ve got a storm warning
and i’m going to lie in bed
listening to thunder and wind
wonder
if i killed
those fragile 
little things

and it’s hard
for me to even 
admit that much