“You Go to War with the Army You Have”

by Joanne Kyger

              “The froth of rapid associations”
                     is entirely in the mind
                          This ‘here’ is not moving

Our garden has become over run
with a new generation of scrub jays                

They make very loud sounds
and fly about aggressively
pecking holes in the apple tree’s apples

To make them fly away we clap our hands
or tap on the window
They mostly learn to shut up

The other day, our friend from Argentina
saw us run out on the deck
after lunch
and clap our hands

He thought it was some kind
of New Age California ritual
to end a meal

                               Time later to find out
                       what went right
and what didn’t go right, right