Size / / /
We scatter the bird seed
which is guaranteed
not to germinate,
and realize once more we've fallen prey
to misleading advertising:
The seeds immediately sprout
acres of jays
that, in some cannibalistic
parent and child reunion,
turn on the remaining seeds
and devour them before more jays can appear.
All this appetite at least provides a check
on the suddenly exploding bird population.
Now I'm scattering the remaining seeds
into the air by the handful,
watching the jays
appear for a moment in midair,
snatch up the airborne seeds
before they themselves
are swallowed by the sky.