. . .

no petting zoo

it was a strange encounter
a first-timer in my backyard

“my” yard?

not in actuality

for they were here
long before i settled in

without an ounce of humility
and unprepared this time . . .

. . . no fancy camera at hand
nor the skilled clicks of my phone

thankfully
my eyes were opened wide
so i took the picture of the hawk
in its stately perching-pride
with my enchanted inside

its persistent presence
appeared close to mine
(quite close i’d say)
not in the slightest
was it intimated

and I cannot say
that i was in my brightest
utterly sleepy at best …

the few-feet-long divide
was still a major delight
unlike “my” other little animals
that come and leave
as they ever so please at times
it didn’t run or fly away

at a single wave of my hand
the hawk made a secure seat
out of a branch of a barren tree
right at the border of “my” land
amid many of others
that were dressed in dainty leaves

it then flew off …

close enough to the ground
seemingly showing off to me
what it was (and is) capable of …

i stayed on for a while
too long
for a cold mid-November-day
looking forward to its return
to its to-be-continued servings
of customized discoveries ahead

it did not come back …

it may have been so
for it probably did sense
how much i was taken aback
by its self-introduction of grace

besides

a living being like that
cannot be held in chains
it is after all
(and must thus remain)
as one of the freest avians …

so i turned to my good old
worn-out wind-chime
hanging downward on a hook
i wanted it to create a tune
the wind however
(contently in a deep nap)
simply refused to play along

i looked around
and saw that i had
(right at my fingertips at that)
a symphony of a collective sound …

“my” other wild birds

“my” leaps-happy squirrels

“my” big and small cotton-tails

“my” time-traveler chipmunks

had all gaily gathered
for an in-rehears-able
tap-dance routine
vying for my attention
about to show off once again
their daily acts of loyal affection

© hülya n. yılmaz, 11.14.2017