Heart Beats

If you were driving by you would never notice.
If you were walking by, you might not notice even then
or if you did, you might wonder
why is there such a big hole in that tree?
What had happened to cause it?

Well, I caught the culprit
red-handed or should I say
red-capped!

Here he is!

It was Pileated Woodpecker!

Oh! How handsome he is!

I was thrilled

when I saw him!

Pileated Woodpeckers
carve out rectangular holes in trees
to search and eat the insects found there
as well as build nests for their babies

As a matter of fact, I heard
this one's wild call or laugh
before I actually saw him

Pileated Woodpecker also makes
a loud drumming sound
which can be heard all over the forest
as he taps taps tree trunks with his sharp beak

He taps out a rhythm
He is the drummer of the forest!

Perhaps he has a message for me

To honour the raw and true beating of my heart
and to dance unencumbered to the rhythms of life