Surviving Winter

A living jewel descends
on scarlet wings to
perch on the bare branches
of a tree whose fruit
was once as brilliant as
those of the cardinal,
feathers fluffed upon the
sleekly plump form, a
black streak over its red
beak, preparing its 
cautious strike in retrieval
of a nut to energize its
inner warmth generated
as aid to survive the brutal
chill of a wicked winter.