i have been
watching the sparrows feed
all morning
and why not?
they are lively
and they fill my yard
with songs.
there have been times
when humans tried
to cull the sparrows.
they were punished
with a plague
of insects,
the fallen bird’s
delicacy.
i know better.
i welcome my little friends
with an offering
of spiced seed, and corn,
and a safe spot
to land,
to sharpen their mighty beaks.
—
Shannon Corbeil is a screenwriter, actor, and Air Force veteran. She served as an Intelligence Officer after 9/11, providing support to A-10 pilots in South Korea and analyzing cyber threats at the National Security Agency. Serving in the shadow of war contributed to her fascination with the values and temperaments we uphold in our society. She lives in Los Angeles, CA, where she kisses her sweet dog on the face every single day.
