Territory

 

Territory

red syrup in an ornate glass hangs down
from the porch roof
the wind gently moves it left to right
in the background we see finches on the bird feeder greedily feeding
a hummingbird we recognize from daily visits appears
he seems to favor our syrup
when another one flutters by
they begin a dance that turns into a competition
then to a fight
they poke each other with no regard for their beauty and grace
below them a squirrel watches munching on leftovers
they wave and slap wings for beak dibs on the sweetness
their eyes angry they chirp their curses
possessive of favorite flowers they remember each one
their rapid heartbeats get stronger
chest muscles flexed
who will stay longer
who will make the biggest claim
forgetting they may be
from the same nest
a sister
and brother

Author: Nilsa Ivette Mariano

Photo: James Wainscoat on Unsplash