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Avian Medley
Here are seven little haiku verses about the birds I love to watch here, on my ‘farm-wannabe’. Haiku is a great form for new poets, or non-poets, who want a little taste of the freedom structure can give to a soul.
There are various haiku traditions about how many syllables per line, and people stick to the ‘rules’ with varying degrees of formality, or obedience. I have used the 5-7-5 pattern because the fact that it ‘makes twelves’ in two directions please me. There are always three lines to a haiku verse, no matter what syllabic pattern you use.
I love the way haiku enables me to say so much in such a small space. (Perhaps, someday, I, too, shall Tweet!) In this medley, my favorite lines are “Breath held stops the bird,” and “Gnarled twig knotted nest”. Who can say why??
Whenever I see a great bunch of birds lift into the sky, forming a ball, it takes my breath away, and I say, “Birds play ball!” – the origin of that particular image here. I’m like a little kid…just love it when God does that!
If you come to my house, you’ll find the whole Avian Medley in my ‘bird bath’ with bird portraits I’ve drawn.
Avian Medley
In gay abandon
Birds feast heavily, no fear,
Tidbits sufficing
Birds play hide-and-seek,
Play ball, play tag, no duties
No compulsion here
Feathers filt’ring light
Eye feels color flicker past
Such slight impression
Breath held stops the bird
Two paused poised hearts beat quickly
Spell breaks, both take air
My flock comes trusting
Here, I am the hand of God
What joy to host them!
Gnarled twig knotted nest
Tiny egg cup treasure trove
Life incipient
Red streaking arrow
Shot from tree to tree on wings
Foliage pierced, wounded
All the poems are now in one volume, and I’d love for you to have a copy! Click on the cover to buy it, and click here for the recordings of all the poems.
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