Through the open window of my room on the fourth floor ever so high

 I watch inky clouds heavy with moisture drift across the Southern sky.

The City street gleams with shiny asphalt and shrubs bedecked in June green

Cool winds sweep over roofs barely visible among the crowns of leafy linden trees.

Close, so close I think I could touch it, the acacia offers a fragrant feast to me...to the lone crow, too.

I love to watch him...his Kapriolen amuse.

His efforts - gracious and drole - endear him to me.

He leaves his perch atop the slate roof of the next house I see,

to seek his dessert from the blossoms of the acacia tree

Now he returns to his open air den atop the roof where two of his kind eye him curiously.

He bows to them, elegant in his white and black plumed tux,

dipping his head and his chest nearly to the ground

Thus courted, the others turn around

They fly from the roof leaving him be.

He remains still, looking after them

Spurned, a lone bird is he.

I wonder at his efforts at the result at the way he takes the snub in stride...

He walks a few steps looks about and flies off the roof to the playground below.

No other bird there no human, no canine, no cat.

My crow decides to take a stroll through the sandbox, step by step all the way to the wooden bench upon which he hops... to take a nap?

No, he stands on this new perch surveys the shrubs, the lawn, the trees and hops back down to earth to retrace his steps through the sand all the way to a conifer and then..he takes flight...

Tomorrow I will watch him again and he will repeat this tour of his domain

His fellow birds will join him on the top of the roof

But he! he will remain aloof.

copyright 2004 RDP