Frenzy.
Drooped in summer a pink-bloomed
hawthorn drowsily straddles the scorched wall of noon.
A blackbird appears, skating through
lawn for live lunch and with beak sharp as blade stoops,
gulps yet again and though drunk on
worm flavour, flaps wildly in heat-haze before pluming
upward over-heavy with extras.
Heads away for high climbing, levels out to the roomy
nest site where, still tied to feed, three
baby beaks raise hungry gapes to take fill, then soon
sun-riddled parent will wing off again
Feeding means frenzy until feathering forms,
the hawthorn-leaf shelter breeds tastiest grains
of nutrition for birds whose chicks ever gorge.
Praise for such industry bred in nature.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: June 1st, 2021 03:00
- Comment from author about the poem: Hope you enjoy the same thrill I feel on seeing a blackbird feeding new nestlings.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 52
- Users favorite of this poem: L. B. Mek
Offline)
Comments6
... as true as true and then some ...
I takes me horneyculturists hat off to thee .......... x
Lovely depiction of my favourite bird. I'm always amazed by the bird feeding activity after I have disturbed anything in the garden. Mowing the lawn gives the featherefed fraternity a huge skope of plunder and peck opportunity.
Love your 'skating through lawn' phrase.
those first two lines were so enticingly melodic, rhymed
to a soundless drumbeat..
such an immersive portrait of nature, yet again dear Fay
a beautiful reading experience, thank you!
A fine write Fay.
If I had any sense, I would creep right round your poem, Fay.
Trouble is, here the blackbird is a pest, an introduced species in company with the fox, rabbit and others.
Remove myself from that position however, and I can appreciate through your richly descriptive imagery, that industry you characterise with which most birds conduct their affairs.
As a complete aside, news hot off the…..media…suggests that New Zealand has a hedgehog problem (introduced species) and is about to embark on an eradication programme, while in the UK hedgehogs are facing extinction….
"Praise for such industry bred in nature." - such true words Fay, I have many birds coming into the garden, filling there beaks up with food or moss and twigs to keep there nests sound.
Andy
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