Raven, revisited

I took the bus today, same as everyday. I was looking out the window when we pulled up to a bus stop next to a covered overhang or flat roofed awning. As you may recall, today has been the fourth day of amazingly brilliant sunny weather for Seattle. However, I noticed that as people started filing onto the bus and stepping out from the overhang they were each doused with a spray or a splash of water. I wondered if something was leaking and, looking up, to my surprise saw a big fat crow playing in the gutter. He was doing it intentionally. Landing in the gutter and flapping just as each passenger stepped on the bus. They couldn't see the bird but I could. Then the fat bird cocked his head, looked down at me, and winked. I couldn't help but smile back as the bus drove away.

February, but we have faith that someday the sun will return.

I looked out my window this afternoon to see the large winter tree blooming in song birds. Little bitty grey-brown personages flitting from branch to branch, hanging upside down and filling the tree with life normally reserved for another season. The tree reaches up high above the neighbors two story house and every part of it is full of these small chirpers. I don't know why they have decided to congregate in this particular tree, but here they are.

Paranoia

That bird is back. It is dark out side, but when I went out to empty the trash there was a raven in the bare tree across the street. Still, roosting perhaps, but one eye open. Watching me. I could swear he was smirking at me.

Raven

Speaking of birds.... I am pretty sure that a bird followed me home from the grocery store last week. I decided to walk the 10 blocks because it was a beautiful fall day and the leaves were turning all sorts of orange and yellow and brown. With the leaves that had fallen and the leaves on the trees it made a sort of golden tunnel as I walked down the sidewalk.

On the way home, bag in hand, a raven or a crow started screaming at me. They do that, and I didn't pay it much mind, just kept walking. But about a block later a really magnificent leaf caught my eye and when I turned to pick it up I noticed the bird, or at least another large back bird a few feet on the pavement behind me. It was just sitting there staring, but it flew away when I turned around.

When I got home there was another raven perched on my balcony and Annabel was having a fit trying to claw through the glass window pane to get at it. It looked exactly like the first bird and it sort of made me nervous. I shut the blinds but Annabel would not calm down until it got dark.

Rainy Day

One lone seagull perched on the peak of the roof next door.
Impervious to the rain that drives against my window, bends the trees,
He fluffs his feathers, lifts off.
An awkward flap of wings transforms to graceful glide.
A slow arc and then away.