March Pheasant Pair

What are the odds
wonders the Widow Wyile
that a resplendent pheasant
should wander close by her window
in all his iridescent
            bronze   teal   carmine
            dapper  spotted  finery
strutting with purpose
conical feathered horn tufts perked
jaunty and alert with spring mission
the first full day she was back home
from tending to her father’s final
Fredericton affairs and farewells? 

A scant few seconds later
along comes his elegant dame
more subtly clad
but no less fine
dashing nimbly along
straight on through the lilac bush
for extra security 

And then there they are together
for a few quiet moments
amid last year’s bleached sweet cicely stalks
under the gnarled apple tree

Plate 9: Two Pheasants with Fruiting Plants, c.1575/1590s
Joris Hoefnagel

And she thinks
well
there are my parents
reunited
purposeful and busy as ever
passing by
            as if to say
all is well
            the wheel of life has turned
now you carry on
            free
as any bird you wish to be