The Light Above

Night took the yard completely. High up the foundation wall, the second-floor casement window showed a steady square of warm yellow light against the dark brick. I leaned back against the feeder's corner post and drew the sealed reed chart from my belt wrap. Running my thumb over the casing, I traced the route back across the dark ground below: the open lawn, the retaining wall, the sill. Every anchor and marker I placed remains intact. I nested the round pea into the tethered seed tray and rested my arms across my knees to cut the wind. The survey is finished. Tomorrow, I begin the climb back inside.