The Nightingale’s Song

Cherry

By onemorething

Sun, 13 Mar 2022
  • 1388 reads
14 comments
 

After Keat's Ode to a Nightingale

 

The Nightingale's song was once a lament,

before Keats, and merriment, or the longing

for it, they were all grief spent

amongst the trees, before regret and

the devil's bread of hemlock dreams.

 

And nightingales are poets, in sacred oaths

of bark and moss, beneath the lamplight 

of a moon queen, they sing memories

of water and stone -- a river of forgetfulness,

sticky lime, words of snares. 
 

There are tales of pet nightingales,

their songs caged in their throats,

stolen from their own fate, left

with a death wish, and here is the beginning

of sorrow, to be only half in love with life.

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Comments

Submitted by marandina on

".. beneath the lamplight of a moon queen.." Just gorgeous

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Why, thank you very much, Paul. :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

"all grief spent

amongst the trees"

"in sacred oaths

of bark and moss"

This is lovely :0) It reminded me of listening last night to the radio of someone playing violin in a bunker in Ukraine, it was sad, but just so unbelievably beautiful it was too big just to be sad and had to be more than that, above it?

"sticky lime, words of snares." this made me think of the Little Mermaid, only giving up the freedom of sky, instead of the water, and getting back only pain

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Hi Di, thank you for reading it. I did read recently something about the connection of the Ukrainian language and nightingale song, though, as ever, don't quote me on it as I can't remember where I read it. There are some references to nightingales as pets in Ancient Rome and Greece - some that say they sang beautifully and were even able to accompany music and others that say, more poetically, that a nightingale would swear itself to silence in captivity. But, yes, music always has the potential to convey meaning beyond words. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

And China? Do you remember the story of the Emperor and the Nightingale?

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Oh yes! There are some fabulous illustrations for that fairytale. I do have a little mechanical bird of my own, though nothing like the emperor's, sadly...

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

is so good, captivating.

best

Lena x

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thanks so much Lena, very happy you enjoyed it. x

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Such small fragile bodies, yet their voices are so incredibly powerful aren't they? This is so beautiful onemore. I'll come back and re-read in the morning

Are they common where you live? They're very rare here

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Yes, sweet little birds with extraordinary voices. Always make me think of wrens too - little and loud, though they are more raucous. None near me that I am aware of, think I'm a bit too south-west for them. Very glad you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by poetkateholden on

love the lime and sticky snares

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :) 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is gorgeous Rachel, a fine tribute to such a stunning bird. A poem I very much enjoyed reading.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Very glad, Jenny. They are wonderful birds - plenty of poetry in their song and secretive natures. Thank you for reading it. :)