Hummingbirds in the Country

Hummingbirds travel through here in autumn,

Stopping in large flocks to feed at red-trimmed feeders.

In their hovering they see only the red of the feeder and

Others like them, feeding.

These are ruby-throated flocks,

Making ruby-throated noises as they feed.

And they fight,

Blindly attacking their kind,

Hurtling their little bodies,

Too quick to employ the sharp beak.

After two or three days they will be gone,

But while they are here

I accept their gift of flying, hovering,

Feeding, fighting.

I thank them for these autumn thoughts,

Remindme me of the complexity of things.

--October 6, 2013