That startling sound? 

a bird hitting the window.

That startling sight? 

a squirrel carrying it off.

Hoping I’m wrong, I

go out to check. Bird’s still there,

but in shock. I touch

its feathers gently.

It looks up. I speak softly,

then back off. It flies first to

the porch railing, rests

a while, gathers

itself, then flies off. Sometimes,

as the bird and I

discovered, first impressions

can be very, very wrong.

                                                                                JDG