Little Dog Walks — A Poem

An overhead photo of a little brown dog (and one of her human's feet) standing in green grass and clover.
“Stand & Walk” — C.Birde, 9/22

Near

the stop sign’s

scarlet flare,

our feet

in a depth

of green,

green

grass

Patient –

     sensing,

     feeling,

     recollect-

     ing steps –

we stand

& wait for

the sweep

of Autumn’s

mournful

wings

to      p a s s.

— C.Birde, 9/22

Crickets’ Song — A Poem

A photo of a swampy meadow filled with greenery, beneath a broad blue sky.
“Rattlesnake Meadow, Summer” — C.Birde, 8/22

I could sleep

away the season’s end,

head upon this pillow

of bronze ferns

& oak leaves turned

the color of doeskin,

Cheek pressed

to this still-green bed

of moss as you sing

against my ear

Please, let me remain

undisturbed until

the heat has passed

Though this means

I must wait

another year to hear

your song.

— C.Birde, 9/22

Endless — A Poem

A landscape photo of dried earth and clumps of tough, yellowing grasses beneath a white-cloud-filled, rainless, blue sky.
“August Plains” — C.Birde, 8/22

Overhead,

the Dog Star pants

& prowls a sky stretched

blue & rainless,

casts unhurried shadows

upon once-green grasses

stitched through

with summer’s leonine heat

turned rasping,

wheaten.

— C.Birde, 8/22

Here — A Poem

A photograph taken in Rocky Mountain National Park -- foreground of scrubby grasses, middle ground of conifers, background of mountains & bye sky.
“Old Fall River Road,
Rocky Mountain National Park” — C.Birde, 8/22

Locusts

     applaud

our efforts at the fringe

of pinetops & wind

set sharp against

the mountain’s

falling hip,

with thinned

& thinning blue sky

     caught

about our crowns

& wildflowers

nodding,

     sighing at our

earth-dusted feet –

“Yes,

oh, yes,

you’re truly

     h e r e.”

— C.Birde, 8/22

“Wildflowers, RMNP” — C.Birde, 8/20

Loyalty — An Image

An up-close photo of a white datura flower, in full bloom. A tiny insect traverses one of its petals...
“Datura” — C.Birde, 7/22

Wreathed

in pale,

lemon-scented Datura,

softly,

she spoke:

“May all your loyalties be

true,

worthy,

&

returned.”

— C.Birde, 7/22

Light — An Image

“Tourne Light” — C.Birde, 6/22

She wrapped me

in Summer’s cloak,

pressed a star’s kiss

to my brow,

& said:

“Do not let

your grief

douse

your light.”

— C.Birde, 7/22

The Four Sisters — An Image

A photo looking up through the green-leafed canopy of four old oak trees.
“The Four Sisters” — C.Birde, 6/22

“Come with me…”

she took my hand,

drew me through her

birdsong wake.

“We’ll sit together

at the Four Sisters’ knees

& listen

to their green-leafed

memories.”

 

— C.Birde, 6/22

Eye-to-Eye — A Dream

An artfully altered photo of an eye.
“Eye-to-Eye” — C.Birde, 6/22

The Other –

whose eye is so close to mine, I cannot see…

is it he, or she who studies me? –

remarks upon the color of the iris of my eye:

      “Hazel

in dim light;

      greener

in bright.”

My response:

      “I know.”

Yet, despite our intimate proximity –

quite literally eye-to-eye –

I cannot see the color of the eye that peers      

at me.

— C.Birde, 6/22

Wood Thrush Wood — A Poem

A photo of an earthen track through a woodland in mid-spring ...
“Wood Thrush Wood” — C.Birde, 6/22

Hands clasped

& pressed

to breast-

bones,

we stood –

enraptured –

as Wood Thrush

dropped

each liquid note

down through

the trees’ canopy –

like hope,

like light –

then alit

upon the path

before us

& took

his unassuming

bow.

— C.Birde, 6/22

Wisdom — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of a Garter Snake moving through the leafmold along the forest floor.
“Garter Snake” — C.Birde, 5/22

Four snakes –

Slim black

          ribbons

of tongue-

flicking,

flexible life

          scrawled

across my path:

Four compass

          points

of blessing

Four strokes

          of wisdom

Four opportun-

ities to shed

          my skin

& begin

          again.

— C.Birde, 5/22