nests

[Leah S.]

Sorry for crits of crits, but.......I'll try to be original also.
Nests

Outside the back window, across the alley What back window, where?
the food coop’s blue recycle barrels If we don't put a dash in 'cooperative' we shouldn't put it in the contraction either. Besides, I like the ambiguity with coop, especially in view of the ending.
loaded with knocked-down materials
are a regular Home Depot
for the local birds.

Flying and swooping above the rot I agree about flying and swooping, but for different reason. Flying and swooping ARE different, but as words, they aren't very alliterative.
and decay, they were a flurry of life
throughout the dead cold of winter
before the last of dropped freezer truck ice I have no problem with "dropped freezer truck ice" but ice is ice, and it's winter. You don't really need to tell us where the ice came from.
had finally melted into the asphalt.

Before green began poking through the gray cement
cracks, their beaks plucked loose The lonesome "they" doesn't cause that much of a problem here, but it does in the next stanza.
burlap and twine from the piles,
the warp and weft woven into arborvitaes I think I might just say evergreen trees
across from second story windows.

To warm and feather our homes, Now the aforementioned "they" makes me think at first that it's the birds that are warming and feathering our homes, instead of "we humans."
we humans scavenge too,
from West Elm to farm field flea markets I don't know where West Elm is. Unless you're writing exclusively for the local library Literary Club, I would either leave it out, or make it clear by other means where you are.
for the smoothest bed sheets, the comfiest couch, I disagree about the crit of "the, the, and a". If it was the "vintagest mirror" it would be valid. On the other hand, if you want to make it consistent, you'll have to go with 'smooth' and 'comfy'.
a vintage mirror.

Now that the Flowering Crabapple blossoms
block the alley view, we open windows and peek out Who's "we"? If it isn't germane to the poem, leave it out, just use "I".
from our cozy creations, smell the spring air I really dislike "cozy creations" for some reason. Why not use the word "nest" in the body of the poem, finally?
and join the birds chirping What do chirping people sound like? I cringe.
in concert with the tulips breaking ground. What noise do tulips breaking ground make? A crackle? A slurp?

---

Apologies, my crit crossed with your revision......Carry on.
Leah