Have you ever wanted to be an ornithologist?
Bird’s Nest
by C.S. Scotkin
Another porch…
potted impatiens
from brass hooks
cascade pastel
hues of dawn.
Shh, hear them
in the middle,
that purple one.
Gray dove still,
belies her fear,
three down chicks
now motionless,
she does not leave.
Shh…meet her
mother eyes.
She will not leave.
This cradle chosen
so close to my door
wakens new
awareness, Shh!
Close quietly,
whisper respect.
She knows me now,
I am no threat.
Her babes grow
quickly, her care
flags not once.
She sits, eyes meet
once more, shh…
our trust complete.
I reach out
warm feathers
beating heart…
mother’s heart…
like mine.
8 Responses
Mixtli
12 Feb 2010
hotsauce
12 Feb 2010
wel depend what i’m looking for. if it’s like eagles well yes but if its pigeons then no.
Bayard Lady
12 Feb 2010
Lovely! Yes, from time to time I fancy I am…rushing for my R.T. Petersen…attempting to decide what I’m seeing!
Happy Hiram
12 Feb 2010
Try it this way.
Another porch… potted impatiens from brass hooks
cascade pastel hues of dawn.
Shh, hear them, in the middle, that purple one.
Gray dove still belies her fear,
three down chicks …she does not leave.
Shh…meet her mother eyes.
This cradle chosen so close to my door
wakens new awareness,
Close quietly, whispered respect.
She knows me now, I am no threat.
Her babes grow quickly,
her care never flags
Our trust complete.
I reach out
warm feathers, beating heart…
A mother’s heart… like mine.
When I read it the way you laid it out I nearly had a brain anurysm from the choppy, fragmented way all the thoughts were shredded by the structure. I chopped some of the debris, added a needed article or two, and let the lines read as single thoughts, and in this form it is a mediocre poem instead of a headache.
neonman
12 Feb 2010
From pond lady to dove lady, you advance across the terrain. You do sing quite well as you go though.!
An Honest Man
12 Feb 2010
Unlike one Happy Hiram — much in need of a renaming, that one — I enjoyed the poem just the way it is stated. Lovely surprise ending. No, I don’t want to be an ornithologist, just a poet who is read as often as he responds. Much easier…and no special training required.
Lullë Rhymesmit
12 Feb 2010
It sounds like an interesting field, at least by your descriptions.
Marguerite
12 Feb 2010
A beautiful poem. Mothers of all species share the commonality of love.
Have I ever wanted to study fossil footmarks of a bird-like creature? No, But I sure do love my birds (and squirrels). I’ve got about a dozen feeders out. The Downy Woodpeckers are my favorite. they’ll come within reaching distance of me. My doves on the other hand are paranoid–I don’t know why, I’ve got three couples living in my yard year round, but they don’t seem to trust me. Not even the mom on my porch.
I like your "motherly" poem though despite them not liking me.