The Cardinals and the Cat

The Cardinals and the Cat
© R. Malcolm Brown, Jr.

Tweep, tweep, tweep, warning

You are too near our nest, sir!

Tweep, tweep, tweep, warning

I am no problem

I come only to watch you

Why be so angry?

You might just try it

To remove our little ones

That would hurt a lot

OK, I will leave

For now you are in safety

So why all the fuss?

We want to be sure

But can we really trust you?

Can we do our thing?

Yes, you can relax

I am no longer a threat

To your dearest ones

Thank you Mr. Sam

You are so kind and nice, sir!

We will not peck you

Thank you, Cardinals!

My perceived diet is now worms

I respect your space

May 23, 1994

On one bright day in May, 1994, as the author sat in his yard, two cardinals, male and female harassed Sam, the family cat. This constant attention was totally ignored by Sam, yet the harassment continued, permitting a close-up glance at the behavior of this wonderful pair of birds. Presumably, this cardinal pair was mated for life and had set up housekeeping in a nearby nest, probably with little ones on the way. The meter of this poem truly reflects the voices of the cardinals and their particular song of concern in this instance.