A Cardinal Rule

I also ate alone my petit dejuner.

He fed himself alone, (well, so did I)...
And when he finished away did fly.

Although I saw him later with his mate,
Apparently she too was late.

Or maybe it was just a date
And he met her there,
(A dawn affair -- it was their fate).

They're gone now, though for a snack there's still
Some sunflower seed out back to fill the case
which is their meeting place
So maybe for tomorrow's daybreak feed they will come back.

And with a sigh, so probably will I
to either say, "Good-bye",

Or take the sack to my window sil and stare...
Watching for the birds that are not there.

To eat alone may not be fun,
But think of it -- when it's all done,

That bird's nobody's fool.
Its probably a Cardinal Rule:

A bird that's wise,
And wants to be a breeder,
Should spend some time next to the feeder.

                                      -- Greg Molenaar 23 Feb 1994