A woodpecker that lives somewhere near
has taken up an odd habit.
It flies around to various metal
objects and taps out it's
once-wooden staccato beat.
A small aluminum plate attached to
a telephone pole, 3492234765,
is the tinny high-hat, then
a quick flight across to the road "T" sign
for a 10-minute slam
of the mid-cymbal range,
so off it must be jazz.
I get out my drum, laughing
and begin to play along
Flickerbird with Ashiko accompaniment.
The little bird seems to prefer
the 10-12 fast beats
with a 16-20 beat spacing.
Soon, he flies away.
I set down my drum,
thinking the show is over.
Then:
From the huge steel powerline supports
above my property,
I hear the structurally amplified
and familiar rat-tat-tat-tat!
For the phonic finale:
amazing reverberation
for a smallbeak's effort.
-EW, Nason Ridge 2005