SPARROWS SMELL, FENCE GAMES, etc. by Diane Webster

SPARROWS SMELL

A flock of sparrows

drops inside the grove

of lavender stalks,

flutters around

devouring seeds;

flies away smelling

essentially pretty.

FENCE GAMES

Staring down the wooden fence line

rails hold hands as posts

yell to the fence across the field,

“Red Rover, Red Rover, send

Lucy right over!”

MORNING TEXTURE

Like doves gathering for breakfast

fog grips the splintered fence

until mist lifts like a falling feather

in reverse slow motion

so shafts of sunlight glisten

on grass blades nestled around

each fence post in dew sparkle.

MOMENT ON A PATH

The well-worn path follows

the weathered wooden fence

while a top-rail shadow

travels the path into

aspen tree shade.

BLURRY SIGHTS

Reflections

extinct in a drought

except mirage

memories shimmer

a recollection

blurred

on the highway.

STREET GEOMETRY

The sidewalk squares off the block

in front of the building

where a bicycle’s wheels

rest in stationary diameters.

Parallel bars lay tracks

across rectangular windows

while brick and mortar skip

in rhythm throughout the background.

INTO NECTAR

Wind dips

the slender tree limb

into the lake’s water

up and down.

A hummingbird lands

on the feeder

and nods its beak

into the nectar.

PRIORITIES

Feeding the ducks

the little girl flings

slices of white bread

then shakes the loaf

into a pile before

she runs for the swing.

Diane Webster's work has appeared in North Dakota Quarterly, New English Review, Studio One and other literary magazines. Micro-chaps were published by Origami Poetry Press in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Diane has been nominated for Best of the Net and a Pushcart. Diane retired in 2022 after 40 years in the newspaper industry. She was a featured writer in Macrame Literary Journal and WestWard Quarterly. Her website is: www.dianewebster.com