She’d thought of nothing else on the way;
sick, as she was, of the stench of disinfectant –
potions and pills...the staff had meant well,
but nothing would change the truth. Her chair,
they brought through to the garden. A love
for nature...birds and flowers she’d ever had;
watched with elation as day-lilies bent
with the breeze...
then, leant away from her, as if displeased...
yearning to rid themselves of their stakes
tied with ugly twine. Watched sparrows
in and out of the hedge; busying themselves.
Beaks bursting with booty for their nests,
in anticipation of their brood. If only she
could just see spring out...hear a song-thrush
for one last time.
Transfixed, she noticed how light shifts...
shadows on the fence that slowly moved;
music filled her head...a waltz, foxtrot,
then a tango...and, an American Smooth.
As wind teased the tendrils of a wayward,
Spanish willow, thought she heard the clack
of castanets... but, alas; it was only crows –
going home to roost.
Would that she had wings to fly; in her mind,
she trashed that chair of hers; slashed
the ties that bind. Sashayed ’cross the lawn;
the sward, soft and cool underfoot...gave
the lilies back their long-lost liberty.
Her god-given reward – a goldfinch,
yellow as the egg-nog sunshine, perched
atop an orange plume. Such beauty
bringing tears to her eyes.
Above...a plane soars high as an eagle;
all those folk, she supposes – going east,
south, north and west, as free as they chose.
But what of she, as her eyes close in sleep?
The susurrus of trees, a lone nightingale’s
sweet song – her homily. And a barn-owl
swoops down from a roof, as vultures
circle low...because they know, the girl
who talked to birds had come home.
Comments
hilary west | January 28, 2012 - 17:54
This is quite something. You have excelled yourself. It is full of delightful images. I would love to see all of your poems in a book one day!
Silver Spun Sand | January 28, 2012 - 18:03
Thanks, hilary;-) This was quite some challenge, getting all those birds in one poem without making it sound too contrived.
So pleased you enjoyed...and as for my poems...in the lap of the gods, like most things in life, I guess.
Have a pleasant weekend.
Tina;-)
MistakenMagic | January 28, 2012 - 22:29
"as vultures
circle low...because they know, the girl
who talked to birds had come home."
- love the sounds in these final lines, Tina. The repeated 'oh' really works to round of the poem. Beautiful as always!
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | January 28, 2012 - 22:37
Thanks, Magic, so very much.
I really worked on that, so I'm so gratified you noticed...but then, you always do;-)
Hope you're having a lovely weekend;-)
Tina
Rhiannonw | January 28, 2012 - 22:49
Lovely use of the varieties of birds in the midst of the whole tale of the heightened appreciation of the garden and nature, and home. A real treasure, thank you. (oh, and maybe I'll remember 'susurrus' now, having looked it up. Onomatopoeic!
Rhiannon
Silver Spun Sand | January 28, 2012 - 23:46
Thanks, Rhiannonw;-) So pleased you enjoyed, and isn't discovering a new word fantastic? I don't know what I'd do without my thesauras.
Yes, it was difficult fitting all those birds in, but worthwhile with an inspired comment, such as yours;-)
Tina
fatboy74 | January 29, 2012 - 12:44
a goldfinch,
yellow as the egg-nog sunshine
what a brilliant eye, not happy with just the simile you throw in a metaphor for good measure - love it, and really enjoyed your beautiful poem. :-)
Silver Spun Sand | January 29, 2012 - 12:45
Thanks, so very much, fb;-)
Tina
skinner_jennifer | January 29, 2012 - 14:31
Good afternoon Tina,
so many wonderful descriptions in this poem, I
would have to write out the whole poem, to say
which were my favourite lines, because it was
all such a joy to read, from start to finish.
By the way, did you know it was bird watching
day yesterday? counting the many species that
come to your garden, then letting the RSPBB
know. I was just wondering if this influenced
your poem.
Thankyou for sharing this beauty, that I so
enjoyed.
Jenny.
Silver Spun Sand | January 29, 2012 - 14:37
Hi Jenny...yes, I did know that, but I forgot. It went clean out of my head. I did it last year, and I was really annoyed with myself for not remembering yesterday.
So pleased you like this one, and I really do appreciate your lovely comment;-)
Tina
shoe | January 29, 2012 - 16:00
So many lovely images of nature, but I think the egg-nog sunshine will stay with me awhile.
Silver Spun Sand | January 29, 2012 - 17:40
Thanks, so very much, shoe. Pleased you liked;-)
Tina
Cavalcaderl | January 30, 2012 - 22:15
new Silver-Spun-Sand
Tina,all has mostly been said.
Read just now. So I'll say perfect!
Every stanza. Like the last especially too.
All the words and the meaning in it so true!
I guess!
Keep warm.
julie x
Silver Spun Sand | January 31, 2012 - 08:03
Thanks, Julie. You keep warm too;-)
Tina x