I heard a pair of squirrels

gossiping about a rather
pernicious cowbird.

“Did you hear about Dolores?”

        “Oh god, what’s she up to now?”

“Well, she went and laid her eggs in Rose’s nest again…”

        “After what happened to the last brood? What is wrong with that woman?!”

        “I don’t even know what to think at this point, it’s just sad, to think that she cares that             little about what might happen to her offspring.”

“Well, she IS a cowbird, what more can you expect?”

        “I expect better. Choosing to be better is exactly that–a CHOICE.”

“So is Rose going to shove these out on the street like last time? I heard one of the eggs cracked right onto some human’s head as they walked out of that ugly building.”

        “I heard she might try to raise them as her own this time.”

“Oh Rosie, no…”

        “Sounds like guilt talking. Nothing will come of this but tragedy if you ask me.”

“I doubt she will.”

        “What?”

“Ask you about anything.”

        “Hey! No reason to be snotty with me, I thought we were just talking here.”

“You seem to do a lot of the talking.”

        “Alright, consider this the last time I say SHIT to you about what goes on in OUR                     neighborhood!”

“Okay okay, keep it down…there’s a human eavesdropping on us.”

        “I swear, we can’t go anywhere these days without being gawked at, chased away, or             run over. Let’s get out of here.”

I couldn’t tell what they were saying
but I’m in constant awe
of the beauty all around me.