Bird Fight

I just saw two little birds fight
on the sidewalk – weightless flutter
on the concrete – skittering into
the gutter: grapple-match –

catch-and-scratch aggression –
possibly connected to a sexual
obsession – I suppose it only took
whatever little time it took – but while

they shook and shimmied feather,
claw and beak – and whirred
all blurry in the flurry of whatever
havoc they sought, fought to wreak –

while I watched their maddened
pique – a quarter-minute turned
into eternity. It’s not that there’s
not time enough, I thought,

as I watched these two birdies do
their brutal stuff, there isn’t
any time at all. Then one, and then
the other, took a fall. Don’t know

which one thought it won – quickly off
and soaring on a dual run,
spent guns of sparrow wings flew up
towards the sun – lesson done.

.