Quasi- (adjective): resembling; seeming; half

A few leaves became the wings, several strands of grass as the tail feathers, two short sticks for the legs, and one dark, smooth pebble in the place of an eye.

The little green bird bounced back, admiring its handiwork—a self-portrait created from natural resources, albeit somewhat lopsided. Not quite satisfied.

For another half an hour, the small bird zipped left and right through the forest, catching a butterfly there, picking some flowers there. With each new addition, the self-portrait lit up with vibrant hues, as if the details resembled the intricate work of life itself.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

An afternoon later, the little green bird found itself horrified. It was staring at a mass of entropy—a maelstrom of leaves and twigs and petals and mushrooms, even the broken piece of a plastic keychain that had fallen from unsuspecting travelers.

A self-portrait?

The little green bird whistled.

Brushing away its afternoon worth of work with a wing, it again revealed the original construction of a few simple sticks and some grass.

It was enough to convey the image of itself, no decorations needed.