The grackles here have figured out
that if they swing on the bird feeder
until it bangs into the tree trunk
it will send down a shower of seeds
to eat on the floor below.
In the Austin dusk this morning
there were three of them
a little glistening gang beneath the thing
surrounded by seed and alone
the early birds and actually cackling
with glee between all their eating
throwing their heads back and with beaks open
taunting the Gods in their self-sufficiency
now without need of divine intervention.
They didn't even bother to shake their fists
so happy with themselves were they
reminding me only of us
clever and quite certain
in our occasional complacency
when it will sometimes comes along.