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Spadina Literary Review  —  edition 33 page 05

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Arboreal Royal Homes

by Gregg Dotoli

I’m not baffled by that yaffle
building that round condo
in heartwood
donning a grey feathered suit
arboreal astute
professor of fungus and wood
leaf and bark

Re: pine heartwood Bird-millennials:
Many woodpeckers live at home with their parents
until they acquire or build their own cavities.
Building a new cavity is a process
that can take as long as 13 years.
Who would ever want to leave a heartwood?

Free from human moil
life thrives
in Arboreal Royal

Put down that axe
give them a chance
have mercy on the woodpecker home