birds

so i'm sitting in this outdoor coffee shop
partitions and plastic blocking the chill
feet to the flames
coffee cup empty but stomach full
the ambience is lights and fake bushes
and real trees held together with
rubber bands to force a vertical adulthood
some paintings of lesser known artists
and green pillars everywhere.
two birds are here
plump and happy
hopping around bricks hoping to find
some taste of cinnamon roll or bagel
and i'm lucky enough to be in their company until
two women enter with perfume strong enough
to knock down the third little pig's house.
they notice the birds right away and begin
complaining and whining and carrying on
about how they can't enjoy their coffee
with real live animals in their midst
so they jump from their chairs and get
the establishment and now four people
are trying to chase the birds outside the walls
into the open air, for they are wild
and they don't belong in here.
i will not help them
i will sit here and scratch my head instead
at the absurdity of it all.