Parliament

Another day. Another nest.
Another tree in which to test
how well to make this old home best
for twenty-twenty-one.

A parliament of squawking rooks
give one another helpful looks
and wait as if on tenterhooks
to see what will be done.

The sky is blue but don't they know
the puddle's frozen down below?
And winter still has weeks to go
before spring will arrive.

For now the rooks still squawk and flap
and give themselves a beaky clap
at one more nest upon their map
of homes where they may thrive.

© Celia Warren 2021

My words include a little poetic licence. There were actually three old nests in the tree, and - despite the photo - far more than three rooks, so the parliament bit is accurate. Most flew off when they saw me pointing my camera at them, but I liked the line-up of this trio.

My Extras show one rook near the nest and the thin ice of the frozen puddle nearby. But the blue sky tells you what a lovely day it's been here.