The insistent call of a jay gets my attention:
“Hey-hey!” he yells, over and over. I laugh,
squawk back at him from the studio window,
then head downstairs to grab a cup of seeds.
This is the second time we’ve played this game.
The first time, as soon as I noticed the call,
I realized he was saying, “Hey! Food Lady!
Hey! You! We need more seeds out here.
The chipmunks ate them all. Hey! Hey! Food!”
“Guests who think they own the place,” I mutter.
But he’s smart, this cocky young fella.
He amuses me, the way he’s already trained me
to respond to his call. And I have a photo of him
enjoying the feast, a snacking chipmunk
hiding behind the astilbe in the corner.