we lingered out back
to frolic by the flowers
the hummingbird
the cat
the coyote
and
I
the coyote caught a whiff,
just a brief, tempting sensation,
of decomposing garbage in an overstuffed bin
it appealed to his undiscerning appetite
he ran through the trees
hot on the scent
and
caused a slight breeze
that made the cat’s tail fur erectly stand
swish, swish
back and forth, the angry appendage went
further fanning the air
as the feline statue stared
I watched in delight
the creature-stirred air was amusing,
a welcome reprieve to a still, sun-heating deck
the hummingbird,
observant,
picked that moment to dart this way and that
in zigzagging chaos
and
filled his small belly
on deck-variety nectar
I laughed at the sight
the cat, preoccupied with coyote obsessing,
and
the coyote, pursuing a waste trail for his lusting,
both missed an easy meal,
one obviously placed
we found satisfaction
through patiently watching
among the flowers
out back
that morning
the hummingbird and I,
both appetites
filled
~
Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me
Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
Thank you, my friend! How was your weekend?
I survived, and lived to think about it over and over. How are you and the kids doing?
Everyone is good here. Thank you! We are staying busy and enjoying the start of the summer. I am happy that you at least survived your weekend.😊
Summer. As I’ve grown older, I find I hate the hot summer weather. I’m a Fall/Winter man now where I used to be a Spring/Summer lover.
I like all the seasons. Winter here is long though. I’m always relieved when Spring comes. You have a much warmer climate than we do. Those Midwest winters…
I am in Sicily now and believe it or not, living right on top of the Mediterranean Sea, the breeze is always 15 degrees cooler than inland.
That sounds lovely…
Did I tell you I moved here last October after voting by absentee ballot?
I don’t think you did. How are you liking it there?
Great poem. Loved all the details. I’m kinda glad that the hummingbird didn’t end up as a meal! 🙂
Thank you! I was also. He was comical to watch. The whole thing was…😊
Reminds me of the Dutch saying ‘when two dogs fight over a bone, the third one is running off with it’…freely translated. This lovely story of you made me smile 🙂
XxX
Thank you so much, Patty! I’m so glad it made you smile.❤😊
This is wonderful!
Thank you so much! You made my evening!
Love it!
Thank you so much!
Quite a story…quite a busy place to be! Thanks for sharing a delightful time, Tanya.
🙂
Thank you, Steve! I hope you are having a great week!😊
Well, I’m going through a bit of a rough patch right now but hope that will change in a few weeks…Enjoy your day, Tanya.
🙂
I am sending my best wishes and blessings your way and many hugs!😊❤
This is extra sweet, Tanya…I really do appreciate your well-wishes so much. I’ll make it through…
🙂
😊
Wonderful company of you n hummingbird❤
Thank you, Aruna! Have a lovely weekend!😊
Most welcome,dear!!
❤
Love the playfulness of the narrative sequence running through this. It’s good to be reading you again!
Thank you, Roger! I feel the same way when I come back to your blog, if I have been gone for a few days. The familiar writer’s voice is missed when it isn’t heard…
I’m glad the conference has been so fruitful for you!
It is wonderful … and there are three more weeks to go in the residency … incredible.
Enjoy!
You must have sent the hummingbird my way. I have never seen one so close as I did yesterday and videotaped her for the 2 seconds she was there!!
I love that! Thank you for sharing. You have to be fast to catch them on video.😊
I was trying to catch the owl. I had no idea that the owl was in the tree behind it and the hummingbird just happened to be right there! It was a very cool moment
I love it when things like that happen. It is especially nice that you caught it on film. 😊
It is frequent these days. I will see one thing which will lead me to another that is even more spectacular