Mating Aubade

“Ernest J. Corrigan In His Alligator Pants” by Dave Sims

She likes to count the birds at the feeder each morning
so she doesn’t lose track of the seasons, which is easy to do

when you are unmoored, adrift, when sometimes snow
doesn’t mean winter and sun doesn’t mean summer,

and she’s lost in this no-place until he turns over and wakes up
always with dawn light and she hears their dog stretch and shake

and she’s back, here, not there, not longing, not holding emptiness
which only sinks you or lets you float away — an anchor or sail. Seven.

This morning there are seven birds: three thrushes, two warblers,
two cardinals — a mating pair of bright red & pale brown.

She follows their darting flight to their nest of twigs
and spotted eggs to make sure the cats can’t get them.

About the Author

Michael Garrigan writes and teaches along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania and believes every watershed should have a Poet Laureate. He is the author of two poetry collections - Robbing the Pillars and What I Know [How to Do]. He was the Artist in Residence for The Bob Marshall Wilderness Area in 2021. You can find more of his writing at www.mgarrigan.com. 

About the ARTIST

A retired educator, Dave Sims makes art and music in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. His comix and paintings both old-school and digital appear upon the walls, covers and inside pages of over sixty tactile and virtual exhibits and publications. His new watercolor, multi-media and hybrid work appears in current issues of Sunspot Literature, Burningword, and High Shelf Press. Experience more at www.tincansims.com.