A small ceramic
Bird
Greets me every
Morning
Before the sun rises
As I sit down in
The wicker chair
To savor my
First cup of coffee.

A small twinkle in the
Bird's eyes
Delights me.

My three year old
Grandson, Junior,
Wanders to the porch
With me —
Curious to see
Everything.

He goes
Directly
To my bird
Companion
And examines
The forever unchanging
Passerine's smile.

He turns to look at me
With the bird in his hand.

I begin to wonder
If the bird will
Suffer a shattering fall
Against the unforgiving
Hard tile floor of the
Porch.

He gives the bird to me;
His expressive expression
States clearly
His unspoken intention.

"I know the joy this gives,
Please keep it away from
Three year old fingers!"


© by Dan Batson.
Used with the author's permission.