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
hülyaswritings 