All Invasions Are of a Piece

The sparrows are making
One hell of a racket,
Noisier than traffic
Through the town before dawn.

Eurasian collared doves,
Pigeons to the locals,
Hoo-hoo from the housetops,
And the house finches start.

To even catch a glimpse
Of anything native
To this ecosystem,
You have to crane your neck

And look up at the cliffs
Where juniper and scrub
And prickly pear shelter
Rare desert tortoises—

That is, unless mule deer
Are invading the lawns
And irrigated trees.
Everything wants a piece.