coralled around the cardinals'

paired "what cheer" "what cheer,"

the black-capped chickadees

tining plethoric threats at screwbirds

scooting down the ash where

hairy peckers eat suet

in iron wired on the tree

the plug-ugly jays crow for:

"queedle" "queedle" "caw"

back at hawks hawking the same

way above the thrasher

bumping leaf root, while the gold

finches wait-see-sit, then flap in dread-of

what can't be got to by clamor.