A Committee of Vultures

Coming home from decorating at the cemeteries Saturday, we saw a dozen or more turkey vultures on this gate and in the field. There were seven on the gate, but the others flew off before Bud could get a photo.

Turkey Vultures 
   (By Ted Kooser)

Circling above us, their wing-tips fanned
like fingers, it is as if they are smoothing

one of those tissue-paper sewing patterns
over the pale blue fabric of the air,

touching the heavens with leisurely pleasure,
just a word or two called back and forth,

taking all the time in the world, even though
the sun is low and red in the west, and they

have fallen behind with the making of shrouds.