poem a friend sent me

Chickadee by Lee Van Laer From the Hudson River series

Last week
While I walked the dog
Down by the river
The world suddenly rolled up my whole life
And fit it into one chirp
Of a chickadee.

I hadn't known
That it was so small
And easy to encompass.

Had I known that sooner, I might have
Carried it everywhere
Instead of leaving it behind me
As I always do.