after dawn

"We lose the ones we love, we cannot change it. Put it aside." Don Diego de la Vega, from the movie Zorro.

after dawn 2025.07.26

there was a sparrow at the edge of the bird bath
when i got up to put the feeders out early just after dawn
it seemed half asleep so i let it be
though i watched it for awhile

i put the feeders in a deck box at dusk or thereabouts 
if i'm not binge watching cooking shows
or listening to billy strings 
or finding out james mcmurtry's whereabouts 

the possums and raccoons have sensitive snouts
and if i let them
they eat the sprouts
of the container tomatoes

it's hot here on the plains
the sun is baking our brains
except when the rains
flood the drains
after the deluge
like a cross between jackson browne and the dan
go back jack do it again

someone i knew when we were young  died recently 
another empty place at the class reunion

there was a dead sparrow in the bird bath
drowned and gone
after i finished mowing the lawn
finding a green half-eaten tomato near the fence
which needs mending
at least they're leaving the red ones alone
and i'm half asleep