Imprinting

If an egg falls out of a birds nest

It’s a serious matter and

Whatever you do

You mustn’t touch it

Unless you’re going to take it home and feed it through an eye dropper

Everyone knows that

Whether it’s true or not and

We don’t expect that the mother bird would take the baby back

Once it carries the stench of humanity

I always thought I was the mother bird or

At least a slightly self conscious human with an eyedropper

But today

After many many music classes

Family story times and

Other sundry and assorted group activities

He danced

Clapped and

Sang

For the entire time

For the very first time and

I sat and watched

Him and his sister

Finally out of school for the summer and able to come to his library class

Hold hands and

Spin around in a circle

Drop to the floor and

Jump up

In tandem and

Flap their wings

As if they were one giant bird

Falling and

Flying

All the time

Smiling back at me

Down at me

With much love and

Much amusement