It begins with offering Corn to Squirrels.
Otherwise, they pillage things
not meant for them.
Crows, Blue Jays, and Blackbirds arrive
Their impossibly iridescent feathers
reflecting morning sunshine and joy.
Just outside my bedroom door,
under the ancient Black Walnut,
the offering feast beckons.
As if from the Underworld,
shaking flakes of dirt from their shiny brown coats,
Voles join the fray.
This morning, a mama Turkey and her Chick
found the offering wanting
and knocked on the door for more.
Rabbits, Voles, Birds, Squirrels –
They wait patiently as I scoop out more
and we become family.
The Offering
