Mystery Bird On Christmas
A bird appeared on the porch today.
A single bird on Christmas day.
Not a partridge or a cardinal.
I wondered if he had far to go?
A black bird. A crow or raven?
I gave him seed. He stayed then.
He brightened up the day for us.
Hopping around and strutting his stuff.
Was this a sign of something coming?
Some kids went by out front, running.
He didn’t fly away. He just watched.
He flapped his wings. Then he stopped.
Moving aside if someone went out,
He wasn’t afraid, just hopped about.
He stayed on the porch all day.
He was a blessing, I must say.
Each time we looked he was there.
He wasn’t going anywhere.
It was all a mystery to us.
Why did he think we, he could trust?
At sundown he pecked on the door.
Was he hungry and wanted more?
We opened the door and heard him say.
“Merry Christmas,” and he flew away.
———————–R.W. Johnson—–(2016)