Oriole

—Of such moment, the paper has notedits appearance in the park, icterus,of the family Icteridae, rarethis far east but not to be confused withOriolidae, the Old World species,though they are "strikingly similar," ifsuperficially, in size, behavior,diet, such masks and dry chatter, such lowchucks, such orange-over-black, and thin weenk,their wingspan of equal length in adults.The birders are mad with it, calling

with catalogue whistles and suited upfor long mornings in the wilds. Tape-buffswant to pinpoint the trill in the city'snoisy flights—its chaos and jeers, siren-songs of tragedies, or about-to-be—.Now someone spots the dun-and-dust female.Now someone points to a nest sagging ina plane tree; someone climbs. It's just a pieceof pantyhose filled out with leaves.So many hopefuls, looking to the cloudsor cloudy textures of buildings and vines.

I watched for the oriole but didn'tsee it but the sun hadn't hit that spot.I bet we will see it come spring or nowif we're there in the sun. Your email ona jaundiced Sunday. Does it help to knowthey're drawn to insects, nectar, cut citrus?That icterus is Greek for yellow, oneassociation of which means illness? It's a nice place for a little bird. Plusthere's an enormous old, I think, elm there.I moved the orchids to the window ledge

to catch the sun. Remember the purpleone? It's going to bloom again! Can hardlywait to see you Saturday. "Oriole"is first recorded (in the Latin formoriolus) by Albertus Magnusin 1250. The last I saw was lowand lone, on a lightning-blasted beech limb,blazing like the flag of its nation. Thiswas a small stand of old-age trees, the lastamong two hundred acres cut for growthbeside the soybean fields behind my house.

By growth, I mean exurban housing lots.The farmer's a millionaire now. I lookfor you in faces in the city crowds.I listen in the nightmare dark—,but my madness seems small compared toso many others' grief and hunger,to so much want. Convergent evolution,"whereby organisms not relatedindependently evolve the same traitsin adapting to similar environs."Right now a really beautiful white one

is blooming on long low spears. In the parkthe reporter finds no bird. He decidesnature isn't necessarily elsewhere.It's the person holding binoculars,as much as the bird in the tree. New WorldOrioles are known to migrate greatdistances. They nest in thickened foliage,by low riversides. White wing-bars, variableblack on top—do you think me fond?—,they prefer to be hidden, singingvariably, too, fast jumbles, whistles,

chopped warbles, then a run of melody.Long the days and nights for weeks without you, so we send these messages. Are you happy?Do you know that colt's foot helps with asthma?You should write about the city, you shouldwrite a positive thing. Right now makingdecaf coffee. I'm ready for a walk.Look out your window first. See the movementin the park, in the commerce, on the streets.The loud mad wilderness of so manyand so much. I am out there. Wave your hand—.