Frightened, the finches flee the feeder
The taught spring of survival
Launching them into space
Flying hither and yon evasively
As the Cooper’s hawk crashes
Into the hedge in search of a meal
Awakened from her dream in the egg
To find she is a raptor
Hooked beak and sharp talons
Small bird on the menu
Survival means tearing feathers and flesh
From tiny bones
None of us choosing our destiny
All dealt the hand we must play
In nature’s lotto of life
From microbe to monkey
We must live with with the conviction
That we are the definition of existence
All unique accidents in time