Breakfast with Ted by Donal Mahoney

Breakfast with Ted

No one goes to the patio now  

except at night when Ann

goes out to spread old bread 

and sunflower seed

on the small table for birds 

to eat at dawn.

The next morning

she gets up early and

watches the birds from 

the breakfast nook

where she and Ted

would sit and marvel  

at the pecking order.

First the sparrows arrive 

and eat as fast as possible

before the cardinals and jays

come and take command.

Then the starlings land 

and raise a ruckus 

even when the table

is theirs alone.

The starlings leave

like jets on a mission and 

in just a few minutes 

two doves drop down.

One walks behind the other 

and they eat whatever 

is left behind.

It’s no wonder Ann’s partial

to one of the doves. 

He reminds her of Ted

and lets the other dove 

walk ahead and eat

the best of what is left. 

His feathers are always 

perfectly in place, same 

color as Ted’s hair.

BIO: Donal Mahoney lives with his wife in Belleville, Illinois. He writes poetry, fiction and nonfiction, His work has been published here and abroad.