DM Babbit Poet Sestina

Birds of Future Springs

Bird watchers say
 there are birds that return in spring to play
build a nest, raise their young
 but as seasons change there are always some
who stay the winter, forage for seeds
 familiar ones that cling as autumn bleeds.

The robins  well know 
 the proper time to come and go
and as the chill begins to fall
 black-capped chickadees and wrens tweet their call
with caped juncos and titmouses slipping thru the trees
 riding in on a wintry chilled and icy breeze.

Others stay like the screeching blue jay
 clinging to a set of traditional ways
there is a click of cardinals bright orange and cherry red
 slip in and out the old decaying garden bed,
woodpeckers like the big red-bellied and downy 
 glide sideways up trunks to find their bounty.

As winter ice and snow begin to fade
 familiar feathers return to the glade
robins, sparrows, orioles and waxwings flit in and out the yews
 nesting in houses left from buntings of red and indigo blue 
you can catch a glimpse of the bevies in their gathering
  mocking catbirds, wrens, doves and finches blabbering.

Birds of spring return in March on varied dates
 some earlier far sooner than late
born for flight, scanning the earth escapes
 reaching back in time unable to hesitate,
called by an ingrained memory 
 back to the place of their fledgling treasury.

Surely there are more feathered flybys
 but climate change and migratory spies
and sadly on occasion, some clusters face
 extinction by the human race
finding fewer familiar species in the states 
 the greed and corruption of primates.

They're just birds some will say
  but if  Rachel Carlson's Silent Spring arrives
how many will we find,   survive?



 
 



For Spring BIrds contest
sponsored by Constance La France
2/19/21

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Anne-Lise Andresen February 28, 2021 at 11:13 AM - Congratulations on your lovely winning poem ... makes the reader long for spring, DM :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Paula Goldsmith February 28, 2021 at 9:23 AM Congratulations on your win. I love your story. I also love cardinals. The blue jay is mean. The woodpeckers will put holes in a house. Many birds, some nice and some that are not. Have a blessed day/week....................

Constance La France February 28, 2021 at 8:37 AM DM, congratulations on your win in my Spring Birds Challenge, well done _Constance

Line Gauthier February 28, 2021 at 6:31 AM Well penned, DM. Congrats on your top win~

L Milton Hankins February 18, 2021 at 12:39 PM I love the work you put into this. I, too, am a bird fancier. Birds bring great joy into our lives in so many subtle ways. Best of luck in the contest, DM. DM Babbit February 19, 2021 at 6:44 AM Thank you, Milton, this was actually a pleasure to write and say a prayer for this earth which we all share.