Pileated Woodpecker

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while sitting at a table,
enjoying afternoon tea,
in the shade of a cedar,
a Pileated Woodpecker
dropped from the sky
to land in front of us.

his red crest, jaunty,
black, military uniform
with white piping —
a Sargent Major
standing at attention,
inspecting us,
looking back at him.

he paused,
reflected,
saw all there was to see,
found us wanting
then, flapped away,
leaving an after image
of black, white and red
against the pines.

Image:  http://buff.ly/1MWqgoq

Read about my friends here  http://buff.ly/1wyjiKS