Winter rain lets up—
 
I rush to fill the feeder
 
with sunflower seeds.

 
 
 

Cold rain fell all night.
 
Thirsty flower seeds rejoiced.
 
A tall pine toppled.

 
 

October’s first joy—
 
some wild asters in a ditch
 
sing of seeds to come.

 
 
 

After Labor Day
 
I dream of next spring’s garden
 
and what seeds to plant.

 
 
 

Menaced by a hawk,
 
sparrows flee from the feeder—
 
seeds fly everywhere.

 
 
 

Summer slips away—
 
the drooping sunflower heads
 
start dropping their seeds.

 
 
 

After Labor Day
 
I plant some zucchini seeds,
 
hoping for a crop.

 
 
 

Having neglected
 
to plant the marigold seeds,
 
my regrets blossom.

 

 
 
 

On Easter Monday
 
I plant a few melon seeds
 
in a sun-warmed place.

 

 
 
 

Before the wind starts,
 
I set out sunflower seeds
 
for white-crowned sparrows.