eager crickets sing in chorus

at the top of their lungs 

 

gusts rustle leaflets

in the string section of dwarf palms

 

nervous gnat raises his falsetto 

as high as he can

 

dragonfly’s baritone buzz

upstages her wingspan 

 

pileated woodpecker plays his pine 

keeping on the beat

 

tufted titmouse takes her tenor solo

melodic and neat

 

wind makes her sound-bed

reverb shakes the beetles

 

pine cone loudly plummets

to a thud landing on needles

 

cooper’s hawk soars downstage 

belting out his call

 

Academy judges sit perplexed 

suits and gowns at the ball

 

 

© Candice Reineke 2020