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.

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