feathered housing market

perched upon a 10 ft pole
an old barn board
wren house is secured

it's decorated
with an old porcelain knob
barbed wire and heavy bolts
quite the fortress

this season's first batch
of rattlesnake hissing baby wrens
are about to depart

several of the young birds
have been flying for days
grabbing insects and such
to feed whoever refuses to fly

i think this is unusual
usually, about the time one
leaves the nest they all
get booted and off they go

there is a delay this year
but i'm certain
it's about over

tonight as the young
came flying back
parent wren blocked them
from reentering the house
knocked them into the bushes
where 4 of them clustered
making a bit of a racket
oh the rattlesnake sounds
of 5 rattled wrens

and a shoo to the neighborhood cat

i think tonight they will all depart
take flight
take flight

for the chickadees
have been viewing the property