Chinquapin
Where it all begins
As dawn emerges from dark
And quail awake
From their huddled sleeping state
To whistle a good morning greeting
To their fellows then
Step from their tail-to-tail huddles
For a sip of dew
Then an insect or kernel of corn or two
All around them lurk enemies
Skunks raccoons armadillos
Opossums foxes bobcats snakes
Coyotes fire ants and Cooper’s hawks
But for this week not humans
For this week we come
Only to see you fly
Before the points of our pointers
And setters who seine for
Your scent through the wiregrass
As handlers
Ride rapid on lathered mounts
Along the sandy ridges
Calling to their charges
The bird dogs we treasure