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Friday 18 January 2013

BLACKBIRD WINTER


Photo courtesy of www.birds,deansfamily.com
 
 
 
The Sun is away on vacation.
So Mother Nature rests, tired of giving birth;
While worms enjoy a seasonal reprieve
Beneath the ice-bound earth.
 
Day from night we can only discern
By degrees of grey to black,
And the chill that pervades the darkest part
Brings a fear our bones will crack.
 
Growing weak from constant hunger,
Our half-hearted chorus at dawn
Is little more than a hoarse whisper
As another day is born.
 
Picking among the roots of plants
That are deep in hibernation,
The most fortunate ones of us may find
A morsel to ward off starvation.
 
But there simply isn't enough to go round:
Neither fly nor cricket in sight.
Our empty tummies churn and ache.
For a snail, to the death we'd fight.
 
Thin and desperate we turn to man,
Braving his cats and dogs;
For it's chirped there's bread and seed galore
On his table of pinewood logs.
 
It's true! We see it before our eyes,
Surely this must be a trap?
But the need for this life-saving easy meal
Overrides all fear of mishap.
 
We snatch and gobble, our eyes darting back
And forth should a predator spring.
Now satiated and fully revived,
We gratefully take wing.
 


17 comments:

  1. aww I love this. how can you crawl inside a bird like that and make it seem so believable? I felt what they were feeling. we, humans have a massive responsibility to care for the earth and her creatures. This was a very strong reminder to me personally. Thank you for sharing your talent. xoxo

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    1. Your thought patterns are so like mine, Nyssa!
      I was tucked up warm and cosy indoors, just gazing out at the deep snow.
      And I saw this blackbird scratching around the base of a fern, feathers all fluffed out against the cold. I felt such deep compassion...
      Thank you for feeling it too xxx

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  2. I truly loved this!! I love how told its story...

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    Replies
    1. Many thanks Keith. Really appreciate that :)

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  3. Very enjoyable tale about survival that mother natures critters face each day in harsh conditions.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Windsmoke.
      Yes, I reckon as humans most of us have it easy in comparison don't we?
      I so feel for them in this bitter cold!

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  4. This i so lovely. Beautifully composed, the rhythms and cadence both subtle and superb. It does its subject proud. I have read it through a few times. It would stand many more.

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    Replies
    1. Your kind words are so encouraging, Dave!
      Thank you from the heart :)

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  5. Beautifully captured, and so superbly structured, awesome Ygraine :)

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    1. Rose, you are so kind.
      Thank you so much xx

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you Anthony...and thank you for visiting :)

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  7. Beautiful, just beautiful. My wife started to leave bird seeds outside in our garden recently and it's amazin how many creatures we're getting these days. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  8. Many thanks.
    Yes, they do soon learn where food can be found in the cold months, don't they?
    Makes me feel so grateful I'm human and just have to go to the nearest supermarket!

    Greetings from a snowy Hampshire.

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  9. Many thanks Patrycja.
    It's really great to hear from you :)

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  10. I have to agree with Dave, it's one of your most melodious pieces.

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