A clear blue winters sky greets me
As I walk into my frozen garden
A spiders web glitters in the early morning sun
White frost covering everything with sparkles
Crisp, cold air fills my lungs
And I expel it in white clouds
I throw the bread, it tumbles on spiked grass
I retreat to the warm sanctuary of home
As I snuggle with my cat, we watch interested
My cat twitches and quivers in excitement
As a blackbird bounces out from the bushes
His orange beak bright in the sun
A robin arrives on the fence, observing
Joined briefly by a shy, darting sparrow
Who flits nervously into the bare tree above
Suddenly a family of starlings clatters down
Noisy and squabbling they invade the scene
A pigeon, chest puffed out, waddles across
Ignoring the crowd, tosses the bread around
A shadow appears, all the birds scatter
Down swoops the screeching seagull
Who, without landing, swipes up his goal
And soars off skywards, victorious
Silence once more fills the deserted garden
Until the blackbird returns , bobbing into sight

Sue Baker 20th January 2019