Birds of Paradise

A pair of red claws grip bark, suspended in the montane oak tree canopies under the New Guinea sun. Only a black beak breaks the foliage, tilting and elongating the face with an arched neck. Southeast trade winds blow in, startling the wiry tail ornaments into an orbit. From this height, birds of paradise lie in wait for a prospective companion, measuring the air for a tremor of arrival. Then, gently now, she begins to dance.