The Outsider [Haiku]

two parrots peck
as a chipmunk watches -
the outsider

Sneaking Heron [Haiku]

on one leg,
the sneaking heron
eyes the water

Muscovy Duck [Haiku]

Muscovy duck
struts up the trail -
business-like

The New Bird Order [Free Verse]

In the world
of mechanical birds,

birds
that whir and chink
and prance with
mechanistic precision,

I miss warbles and trills
and chaotic flight paths.

Hawk Fight [Haiku]

hawk dogfight -
the chased twists in midair,
going talons up

Condor [Haiku]

the condor soars
above the canyon rim;
its back glows gold

Two Birds [Haiku]

two birds feed;
one eats, and one wonders
about the other

March of the Myna [Common Meter]

A Myna bird comes marching in;
it'll soon rule the roost.
It seldom fails to have its way
anyplace it's introduced.

The goggle shapes around its eyes
make its stare more intense,
but compare it to a raven;
you'll see it's pure pretense.

Like kudzu and cockroaches,
they can't help but run amok.
Should they come to your neighborhood -
well, that's just your luck.

Great Egret [Haibun]

The egret stands on stiff, still legs. By contrast, its neck is coiled into a sinuous strike position. For a long time, only its eyes move, saccading in time with the darting prey below the water's mirrored surface. The egret plays shrub, hoping to lure tiny fish into its shadow, within striking distance of its flexible neck.

the egret stands,
moving only its eyes...
then spears water