Coconut Grove Some boys kiss me

he clacks his beak three times
once to voice displeasure
twice to hammer it home
and thrice to draw the silky thing’s attention
to the great big thing stalking towards her
all limb and flared feathers

in three whooping strides he’s upon her,
spearing his beak at the soft tassels on her buttock
wings held wide to his sides and ready to thrust him just out of her teeth’s reach
give it,
the tilt of his head suggests
before he stabs his beak in her general direction once more.