This little twig is from the hedge beside my house.  See what has happened.  In a few days the hedge will be green and then the little pink blossoms will come out.  Ah, there it is -the same mistake of always looking ahead and abandoning this cool moment when the brittle twigs are surrendering to time, to moisture, to nutrients slowly working their way up from ground that was so recently frozen.  Standing waiting for the school us to pass and for the fat driver to raise his hand in salute to me before he makes his stop, perhaps a longer stop than at the other street corners and then the slow turn and there are the two little ones in the front, their white hands at the window and the oldest in the last seat blowing me a ” perfume kiss” .  Before that moment I stand for a little while, so as not to be late and miss that moment, you see.  In that little while I can hear the hum of the city like a bee hive and feel the little breeze in the damp air.  Behind the hedge is a big conifer.  It is very thick and dark green, almost bottle green and because I have these few moments I hear a finch warbling and if I look closely I can see him .  Then a flash of red and I see that a cardinal is there among the thick green needles.  It is as if he sees me looking at him for he flies off and lands on the little sycamore tree further off.  I saw him in that waiting moment.  The waiting moment was full of something too.