Spring, according to the birds

This time of year you have to be totally self-involved not to notice the birds. I was walking to the lot where I parked my car the other day when I glanced up at a nearby roof that had two chimneys and saw an osprey on top of each.  Were they two who were going to build separate nests or a pair deciding which chimney would be the best for their nest? Of course, I don't know. I see and feel an imperative among the birds this time of year, they have important work to do and they are not slackers.  I wrote this little poem a couple of days ago.

At 3:30 – believe it! –

birds were raucous.

Not a hint of dawn

for a full hour, yet

they were full throat

into their mating calls.

I pushed myself up

onto an elbow to look

carefully at the red LED number.

So long and hard has the winter

been they must be desperate

to recoup and  preserve

their species.