When they descended –

those iridescent birds with

a purple cast, their

dark wings flapping, their bobbing

heads a shiny blue,

one thing I for certain knew –

it was no poet 

who gave them their name.  Common

Grackle? For such an

uncommon bird?  But I learned 

 soon enough from this

 bird-feeder bully never to

judge a bird by its feathers.

                                                                                                      JDG