I Saw A Quail, Sort Of Two
Behind the squash courts along the scruffy parking lot,
a trail leads off into the trees
above the AIDS Memorial garden.
It was close to me and seemed reluctant to run or fly away
like they normally do, the nervous little things.
I realized there was a dead quail almost at my feet under a bush.
Looked like it had been there a while, couple days at least.
Its little chicken feet sticking out under still feathers.
Do quails mate for life?
What happens to a widower quail?
My mom was a widow. So was my mother-in-law.
My husband and I have been together 45 years.
I suppose it is statistically unlikely we will die at the same time.
Examining the dead quail,
I could not see why it died.
Food for insects now.
The remaining bird hovered in the foliage near by,
leaves crinkling under its feet.
I nodded to it.
Expressed my condolences, moved on.
Heather Saunders Estes 
I remember this one – I like it. Expressing condolences and moving on…
On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 8:57 PM Heather Saunders Estes wrote:
> hmsestes posted: ” I Saw A Quail, Sort Of Two Behind the squash courts > along the scruffy parking lot, a trail leads off into the trees above the > AIDS Memorial garden. It was close to me and seemed reluctant to run or fly > away like they normally do, the n” >
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https://www.audubon.org/news/till-death-do-them-part-8-birds-mate-life
Wait!! So your poem was on the Featured Poem of the Day? Awesome!!!
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The Farallons are next, right? Did you say we needed to do that in the fall? Maybe before or after I go off on the barge trip?
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