Cardinal Surmounts

Cardinal surmounts the quince in cold rain
cardinal and blooming quince are both red,
both shades of our blood, quince blossoms quiver,
shudder in the rain, cardinal twitches

its feathers, bobs its head, repeats, remains
red topping the summit of the red quince,
no clue why it stays, or the view’s appeal
in pelting of  a  late March cold rain

and then…