Another really interesting Dverse poetry prompt I cannot ignore. It’s worth following the link to where Abhra tells us about a famous Bengali poet and quotes some beautiful lines about the kind of bird he might like to be reborn as.
These words came to me in the early hours as the birds began to sing. Although today I should be working outside in the sun and gathering wood I cannot resist having fun with this. It’s a tribute to all the birds with the hope that they may survive the cold, the long journeys, human interference, and be with us as truly wild ones.
If I was reborn I would like to be a bird in the Navasola valley. They seem quite happy here, with plenty of food to eat. But which one ?
To the Biodiversity of Birds
I would love to be
A bee eater, glorious gold blue green.
But maybe not with such decline
In numbers with a risky journey South
And far too few bees to eat.
I am not a risk taker.
Or could I be a darting swift
Flying fast round village spires
Screaming to the God inside.
I fear I cannot go so fast.
To go with the warblers and the swallows south
On African plains would be a dream.
Guided by the distant stars.
But migrant birds in current climes
Travel with joy but suffer loss.
I do not want so much grief.
An owl gliding through the night
Silent flight now that I’d like.
But I would miss the sun.
A stork is not I think the best
Bringing babes frogs to the high up nest.
I think from that I need a rest!
So perhaps a resident is what I should be
A Mrs brown blackbird, or robin dear.
With sludgey worms slugging down my throat.
Perhaps that’s not quite my cup of tea.
A tiny wren with cracking voice
Varied tits with varying tails.
Winter cold small body fails
I like a fire to keep me warm.
The goldfinch flies with such glitter
A song so pretty but here so often caught
Put in a cage , no place for wings to flutter.
I like to be free.
From gliding vultures high above
Eagles with their boots on, ravens, jays.
Living on corpses to the end of my days.
I cannot change my vegetarian ways.
The woodpecker too noisy with the wood
I prefer some silence and some song.
Ah, there’s a bird I surely could be
When it’s cold it goes by the sea
Hovering high notes sung with joy
Up and down in perfect pitch.
A singing voice I have not had.
So I will be the lark
And sing and sing and sing.
Thanks for reading and I apologise that I have no photos of the birds and I do envy some of the American bloggers photos of birds in the USA; Boeta in South Africa, Simon Bowler in the UK and all others. Here in this woodland the birds are so wild and elusive. They sense binoculars and dodge between the many leaves of the evergreen oak, cork and olive. Sometimes they preen on a tall bare leaved cherry or the stag head of an ancient chestnut. There are blackcaps and redstarts about but many warblers haven’t arrived yet and neither has the bee eater. Some storks have become resident on church towers around here but others have returned from an African sojourn. I have seen some different buntings. Cirl and Rock bunting and Wheatear but all elude my attempts to photo them! Yet!
this speaks to me so vividly … beautiful ✌✊👍🌻
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This is quite an enchanting piece Georgina 🙂 I love it. Thank you for your lovely comment on my poem.
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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Thanks and I forgot to say maybe I could be reborn with an ace camera! Have you found Boeta’s Rumbling Ocean blog. Great pictures of birds and the Karoo.
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Thanks Sanaa. A pleasure to read your poems.
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The birds of Africa seem happy too! Some of my favorites – Southern Masked Weaver, Laughing Dove, Guineafowl, Sacred Ibis, and yesterday we saw thousands of Greater Pink Flamingos at the coast!
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Wow, that sounds amazing and which would you choose to be?
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As I read, I felt the freedom of flight and every drawback that you described. You settled on a good one!
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Thanks but perhaps just human drawbacks!
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You’re welcome!
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Of course, that would be lovely – sing, sing & sing ~ I enjoyed the many possibilities ~
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Thanks, it could have become endless!
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What a fun posting; I enjoyed reading your poem a lot!
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Thanks, it was fun writing it!
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Were you an owl, you would love the night. Were you a swift, you would fly so fast and barely wonder at it, for the beauty of it would be you. And now the beauty of you is you.
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Thanks, I think I’d really like to be them all!
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lovely poem. My favourite bird around here is the bee eater, apart from the birds of prey. But if I could come back as a bird I always said I’d like to be a sea gull, because they can go anywhere at all in the world, and glide so easily – and they can eat leftover hamburgers…
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Yes, those gulls seem to thrive on our rubbish.,the grand hotel in Scarborough was adorned with kittiwakes and other gulls. Maybe you have read the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull breaking the boundaries of flight.
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I’ve not read it, no. Must look it up.
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Oh do its a classic of the 70 s I think.
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I am enchanted, charmed, and lulled by this…like that lark’s song. Wonderful.
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Thanks it just came to me. Poetry is a funny and fun thing sometimes! Just need a prompt!
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Lovely poem… born to be free, to fly and sing and sing… 🙂
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This is just sweet and lovely. I think you chose wonderfully to be a lark.
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Thanks, I thought if we have to come back it might be good to have a sweet singing voice!
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I agree 🙂
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Up, up in the clouds and swooping around it shows you had as much fun writing this as I did reading! Delightful.
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Thanks it was fun!
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Oh I love this.. .there are some drawback with most of them I think… maybe human isn’t too bad after all… but I like to feel all that diversity, and I your jabs at what we do to their habitat are poignant.
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Thanks, I feel this diversity is so threatened by us humans and I think if there is karma we might have to return to be eaten by birds!
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As someone who loves birding, I found this so much fun to read. You knew so much about that different birds and their habits. I think you settled on a happy choice. Just lovely, Georgina.
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Thanks and it is my journey at present to find out more about the wild world.
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It sounds like you’re off to a good start. :~)
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A delightful read!
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You don’t need any photos with this. Photos would only take away from your beautiful words. I so enjoyed all the different birds and traits and lives….I enjoy birding and do it all the year. But to be a lark and sing and sing and sing….perfection!
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Thanks, and I think your area looks superb for birds.
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It is!
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The original poem – that I mentioned in my prompt – actually says almost the same idea, if the poet couldn’t return as human he would probably be a bird, just for the sake of coming back. Wonderfully done. I am glad you joined.
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Thanks, I will try and look more about the poet.
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I am sharing a link for you – http://www.kaurab.com/english/bengali_poetry/jibanananda.html
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Thank you so much the Bengali Literature tradition is very strong.
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Wonderful poetry … Such a lovely read! A Lark it is 😀
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Very strange. I was 100% sure I left a comment on your poem here, but now when I look through comments I don’t see it. I had said something like I enjoyed reading your poem with all of the discussion of various birds one could become and then settling on the lark, a beautiful songbird. Anyway you wrote this beautifully!
I also wanted to comment on your comment on my “The Beat Goes On.” Yes, I realize that I used only the “he” form and did not refer to the “she.” I thought about that when I wrote the poem, but there was no way to use the ‘she’ and have it be poetic. “They” would not have worked. “He and she” would not have worked.” “One” would not have worked. I did struggle, but left it then at ‘he.’
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Thanks for your comments. I agree it is difficult to be poetic when changing a pronoun to they! He is fine really I just thought how it might work with she. Or perhaps that’s another poem. I followed up Mark Strand and there are some really interesting poems there. Thanks for the link.
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This poem, for me, is a delight! I love all birds and it was such a joy to see the characteristics of each bird and your reasons. As I was reading I kept thinking about what a wonderful children’s book this poem would make!! Lovely to meet you! 🙂
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That an idea but I am trying to write a book for all those young at heart about the wild world. This could work for younger ones.mThanks.
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Birds of a feather
sings songs often
not together.. solo
they go..
lonely
but always
searching
for another
feather..:)
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Ah that’s so sing songy sweet, thank you!
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SMiLes.. Thanks and as always thanks for your inspiring poetry..:)
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Hi 🙂
I had fun reading your poem. 🙂 I like your choice. I have a special place in my heart for the song birds. I am looking forward to hearing them in the mornings again in a little while. I hadn’t seen a lark before so I looked them up and had a listen. Pretty song. They remind me of the Meadowlarks. I hear them spring and summer. They like to sit on the top of whatever is available: trees, power cables, and light posts, and sing and sing and sing. Happy bird watching and writing to you!
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Thanks for reading and sharing your love of larks.They used to frequent a park which had once been a farm on the outskirts of London near where I worked. We could take our city kids to see them . So Pelicans and larks in parks in London! But the Pelicans belong to the Queen so have a royal duty but the larks come out of habit.
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Wonderful poem that really brings a smile, you should get it printed. You covered many birds. I do love the bee eater even though I don’t get to see them. A Lark is a wonderful bird too.
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Thanks, unfortunately it’s getting harder to see the bee eaters here. A special favourite of mine too. Am writing a story about one!
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Listening to birds sing is so special.
As an expression of my appreciation for your great blog, I have nominated you for the three-day quote challenge. Participation is voluntary and just for fun. Nominees may choose to: Post for three consecutive days, Posts can be one or three quotes per day, Nominate three different blogs per day.
Jenny https://wordpress.com/post/jennylitchfield.wordpress.com/3893
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Will try and do this in the week. Thanks for nominating!
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Such a beautiful poem, celebrating birds and biodiversity… Truly moving and well written. Thank you. Sending best wishes 🐤🐧🐦
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I love this poem!
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This is just delightful in every way! Thank you & cheers too დ
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