True Story

 The red-shouldered hawk was sitting near and 

menacing 

a family of robins in the maple in our back yard

Then, mom and dad robin began 

yelling 

yelling down the hawk, 

from a distance, 

complaining about his presence

Mother and father were joined by three, 

then a dozen other robins, 

all squawking and yelling at the hawk

who still sat there

menacing

the smaller birds

One of the robins 

(the mom, I suspect, because, Moms) flew 

right up 

to the hawk and 

barked in his face

Other robins also got closer 

soon, even more robins joined in 

and then 

two cardinals and 

other birds I couldn't recognize

little sparrows maybe

all yelling at the hawk

I think they were saying

We are not your prey.