Late September Saturday Morning

warm sun rays, screened
through arborvitae and citrus
etch long shadows across the yard
humming to morning’s dance

the morning doves, finches, and pigeons
already emptied the feeders and moved on
a chicken clucks and a dog barks
down the block

a few bees gather pollen as a
large, satiny-black butterfly flits from
frond to petaled frond of the Mexican
Bird of Paradise next to the gate
and the bees give way
the butterfly ten times their size

a hummingbird hovers and
sucks the last dregs of nectar
from the last lingering blossoms
of the sun-bathed Red Yucca

very few sounds of traffic yet
from the main drag, a block away
as the neighborhood slowly
wakes to a new and wondrous day

–LE – 9/21/24