Hopping
Chirping
the grey bird called from the tree
I looked around in wonder
I scrambled on my knee
ran around like a madwoman
“just one pretty picture”
was my silent plea.
But lo! with my every step
the bird flew to a higher branch
and reaching the treetop
opened its wings
and vanished just like that!
Birds are words
and words are birds
Really,
what difference is there?
just when I thought I’ve captured them
as suddenly they disappear.
So, ever, I wait
for that blessed time
when they will visit me
and linger for awhile
long enough that I can
put them in a picture or a rhyme.
I wrote the piece with Poetry Jam’s prompt in mind – Writing. See how others interpreted the prompt by going to that page. 🙂 The poem , of course, is inspired by this bird that I chanced upon the other day in our backyard. I was much interested in it because it was new to me. I think that this sighting was only the second I had after many years of living where we are.
I will very much appreciate it if you can help me identify the bird. It has dark beak, longish tail, gray feather with white at the tips. The photos though do not show the bird’s features very well. Oh, it is solitary. I thought that it was a Sparrow variety but a quick internet search refuted that. I read that grey sparrows have pale beaks.
Thank you very much for coming by. 🙂
This is a very sweet and very apt analogy. Welcome at Poetry Jam! We hope to see you again next week.
Thank you, Gabriela. I do hope I can join again. 🙂
Lovely read though. I loved the way you pictured words with birds.
Keep writing 🙂
Thank you, daneshwari. 🙂
Such a chirpy poem this is. A nice perspective. Words do hop here and there. 🙂
Thanks, Salvwi. 🙂
Like you poem because I know how quickly a bird you want to photograph can fly away. Great photos.
Thanks, Angeline. 🙂
ha. fun response…one of my fav writing books is called bird by bird by anne lamott….
they can be just as playful…for sure…
I will have to check out that book. 🙂 Thanks, Brian.
Imelda I wish I could help with the ID but we don’t get it here so I can’t… it looks a lot like our wagtails, but they seldom sit in trees… lovely photos though…
Thanks, Bulldog. Somebody suggested I look among the warblers. Maybe, I will find my answer there. 🙂
I’m not sure what kind of bird it is. As for the poem, I like the way you liken words coming and going to the flight of birds… creative!
Thanks for helping and the comment. 🙂 Both are much appreciated, Christy.
Such a sweet poem, Imelda. Your bird pics are lovely, but I can’t help you identify it. Sorry. 🙂
Love the poem Imelda, and the analogy between bird and word is terrific. You got some great shots of the bird too (and sorry, I have no idea what it is!!)
Really like the analogy you used, i did wonder when i read the title, all my questions were delightfully answered on reading the poem
Much love…
lovely poem! and so true about words and birds 🙂 great shots but sorry, don’t know much about birds.
Beautiful shot and poem! I know the feeling…..I constantly hang around my mango tree doing just that! But you express it far better 🙂
I love this comparison between words and birds. You got good photos of the bird despite it’s fleeing. Since I do not know what part of the world you live in I can’t really tell what kind of bird it is. It does not have a sparrow beak, more like a warbler of some kind. Look in the warbler section of you bird book.
Thanks for the heads-up, Peggy. I will heed your advice. I did forget to indicate where we are – we are in the northeast of the USA. 🙂
Oh how true you have the photo then right before the click or you have the poem but just befort the pen all is gone to be found at a later time great poem and thought
Thanks, Rae Ann. It can be quite frustrating, isn’t it? 🙂
Beautiful poem, beautiful bird, but I don’t know what it is! Wish I did.
Without a Shadow of doubt, my wild guess is Northern Mockingbird. Well it might be but I never get to see your American birds. HR will know. https://avian101.wordpress.com/