Mountain Rosebay

Courting Cowbirds... she lays her eggs in other bird's nests... 

Mountain Rosebay

My rhododendrons are birthing birds,
Towhees, Cardinals, and a pair of courting cowbirds
all scampering beneath
mountain rosebay's tightly fisted buds,
as if a mother's skirt, protective -

hop up her evergreen arms
leading them to my feeders. I'm still waiting
for my pileated woodpecker, but imagine
he'll be bolder, fly in
from the stand of dead trees across the road.

Glorious May, I await, when fragrant,
large blooms will blush lavender
and butterflies will flock to her nectar
within this woodland garden
where my rose tree will be
the bell of the ball for a swirl or two
come spring.

by Margaret Bednar, April 5, 2019

The birdfeeder I am getting to attract the big Pileated Woodpecker that lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains...

https://wildbirdsunlimited.typepad.com/the_zen_birdfeeder/2010/04/bird-feeders-for-pileated-woodpeckers-think-big.html

For "The Sunday Muse - Wednesday Muse #2 - Hanami"  I wrote this and then went back and read that I was supposed to write about how this flower made me feel ...  hmm.  Well, I don't have time to rewrite (I need to pay attention to the rules more closely)

Also linked with "NaPoWriMo" - National Poetry Month, a celebration of poetry which takes place each April, was introduced in 1996 and is organized by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States.