Wood & Light — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a sun-stroked woodland.
“Wood & Light” — C.Birde, 7/21

“Hold me —

always —

in your heart…”

She smoothed

fern-laced fingertips

over my brow.

“…for those moments

when it all

feels

too

much.”

— C.Birde, 7/21

Bee Tree Psalm — A Poem

An artfully altered photo, looking up through the sunlit branches of a Linden Tree, aka American Basswood, aka Bee Tree.
“Bee Tree (Linden)” — C.Birde, 6/21

“Come,”

he said,

and lead me out

beneath the bee tree’s dome.

We stood together,

wreathed

in sweet saturated scent and

downward-descending drift

of apiarian song woven through

that namesake tree’s

flower-pricked upswept

boughs.

And we were one,

and we were one,

and we are ever

one.

— C.Birde, 6/21

YouthFrill — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of a white oak, frilled with tender new growth.
“YouthFrill Oak” — C.Birde, 4/21

New growth

on old wood –

tender green,

delicate

and

frilled –

Living proof

that youth

belongs not

solely

to the young,

but

to all those

who begin

   anew.

— C.Birde, 4/21

Twilight Song — A Poem

Photo of a Bradford Pear Tree's pink budding branch tips.
“Twilight” — C.Birde, 4/21

Wash

the trees’

tight buds

in pink blush

of twilight

& whisper

in sweet hyacinth

breath.

Tidal spring,

engulf us all.

Sweep

up our hearts

in a swoon

of petals’

drift.

— C.Birde, 4/21

Passage — A Poem

Photo of an old White Oak, looking upward through its leafless winter limbs.
“White Oak” — C.Birde, 3/21

Cold wind

full of Winter’s

coarse & paling breath;

that, in slow retreat,

rattles trees’

pre-bud leafless

limbs…

Pass through

this insubstantial form

like

     song.

— C.Birde, 3/21

Winter Prayer — A Poem

Photography of a leafless, winter Norway Maple.
“Norway Maple in Winter” — C.Birde, 1/21

Peeled away

That tousled,

tumbled veil of leaves

A verdant memory left –

like a puff of breath –

clinging

to the form beneath

Imperfection,

rough beauty, &

strength laid bare

All manifestations

exposed

Revealed —

like prayer —

by the cold,

spare,

bone-bare,

honest touch

of Winter.

— C.Birde, 1/21

Violet — An Image

violet.jpg
“Violet” — C.Birde, 12/18

 

The foothills

filled with mist

and the crest

wore a crown of trees

and the light shone

softly,

softly

while I roved

a violet

dream.

 

— C.Birde, 12/18

 

 

 

Exhale — A Poem

Breath.png
“Exhale” — C.Birde, 11/18

 

Each leaf,

a breath

captured,

collected,

Falling,

now fallen

in sweet

exhalation.

A volume of sighs —

oak & maple,

sassafras, linden,

& hickory —

strewn

at

our

feet.

 

— C.Birde, 11/18

 

Fixation — A Poem

Screenshot_2018-11-07-11-42-51~3_resized.png
“The Trees” — C.Birde, 11/18

 

     

The occlusion exists,

      persists

resists clear sight.

We look, but do not see.

Focus trained myopically

on that bit,

that sliver,

that comfortable

shard of malleable truth.

      Distortion…

            Contortion…

Fleet glimpses of the whole

caught unexpectedly.

Insects trapped

in self-made amber —

dismissing whole forests

for the isolated

tree.

 

— C.Birde, 11/18

Rest — An Image

Rest.jpg
“Rest” — C.Birde, 11/18

 

Gently

— so gently —

the leaves drift

& fall.

Let them rest…

Let them share

— in rustling, rasping voice —

their tale

of fickle light

& forfeit height

with the

ever-patient

earth.

 

— C.Birde, 11/18