A poem by Loretta Strharsky
Counting Robins
How do you count robins?
How do you count these robins
that have taken to the branches of the red choke cherry
that graces the south side of our house
or the aspens along the back walkway or the front yard?
They keep fellowship with a lone downy woodpecker
who carefully surveys the bark of another aspen.
And how do you count robins?
One branch to another
Higher, lower, nestled in the fork
Circling, returning
Flutter and fun, to the roof and back again
Two leave, then three, then returns more than
That sum.
All now off to new surroundings.
Their morning escapade complete.
No count is even close.