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Nightbird

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An unhurried sun slides across the horizon Preparing for slumber behind distant waves And daylight’s last seagull rides thermals in search Of a late night fish supper - the herring he craves A paint shop explosion enlivens the skies As the sun doffs its cap to the tail end of day That silhouette seagull, against crimson, flys Before finally veering and heading away As one with the beach and the shoreline beyond I watch vibrant heavens succumb To a darkness profound although I stick around And I wait for tomorrow to come The night has its chills but no hectic-life ills As I feed my small campfire with sticks One deck chair, one fire is all I desire… And a thermos for my caffeine fix There’s no moon, no stars and there’s no beachfront bars The surf is my soundtrack tonight I’ve seen moons and stars work with Venus and Mars To set all above me alight But tonight is unpainted and I get acquainted With shadows that flicker and prance As I recline there, amused, I’m aware That the fire makes my own shadow dance I don’t truly doze and a distant bell knows That I count off its chimes in the night And as the world sleeps, somewhere near, a bird cheeps And I know that it soon will be light I’ll witness the day and then scurry away Through the hustle and bustle, to bed Inspired, I’m rewired, and yet, rather tired With my first chapter clear in my head My thermos delivers one last warming cup As a new dawn blue-rinses the grey A seagull, perhaps who went last night unfed Circles early for breakfast today

Copyright © | Year Posted 2025




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12
Date: 2/28/2025 4:24:00 AM
Congrats on POTD!
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Terry Flood
Date: 3/2/2025 4:53:00 PM
Thanks again, Kim
Date: 2/27/2025 7:52:00 PM
Your muse is definitely back my f.f….what a beautiful, beautiful poem so worthy of POTD….Congratulations Terry! Debx
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Terry Flood
Date: 3/2/2025 4:52:00 PM
Thanks, Deb. Chuffed with POTD after what seems like an age of ‘fuzz’. Seems I can still string a sentence together. Long may it continue ;-)
Date: 2/27/2025 6:36:00 PM
' The surf is my soundtrack tonight. ' There's so many beautiful images within, but this one takes my breath away. Soothing in every way. You've created a masterpiece, and I can see why it's been chosen as Poem of the Day. Congratulations, Terry. Many wonderful blessings to you. :) Hugs, Brandy
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Terry Flood
Date: 3/2/2025 4:49:00 PM
Thanks so much for your kind comments, Brandy. Sincerely appreciated. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 1:50:00 PM
Terry you put us all there with this Rhyme of yours, creating a scene near the ocean that brings the reader one with nature. Superbly done putting the reader at ease and experiencing the moment as you wrote it. Congratulations for receiving POTD. Thank you for sharing a pleasure to read...
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:41:00 PM
Thank you, Michael. Glad you got so much from this one. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 1:31:00 PM
Terry, a great poem and imagery, so well done, congratulations on POTD.
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:39:00 PM
Thank you, Tania. Much appreciated. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 1:30:00 PM
wow with your amazing imagery I read the poem then closed my eyes and you'd transported me to my local beach Terry - I especially love the Line "The surf is my soundtrack tonight" - just perfection (apart from the pesky gulls that is lol. I am so used to reading your witty rhymes, am faving this gem for many many reasons and send many congrats on POTD! hugs Jan xx
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:38:00 PM
This one felt right from the start, Jan. Sometimes (believe it or not) I’ll set out to write something serious and my mind(or my pen) starts churning out punchlines. Somehow I knew that wouldn’t be the case with this, and so it proved. I’m chuffed to attain POTD with something outside of my comfort zone. Equally chuffed that you enjoyed it so much. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 10:43:00 AM
The first two lines grabbed me and kept me rapt all through this gorgeous piece. An excellent choice for POTD. Congrats, Terry.
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:17:00 AM
Thank you, Jim. I’ve spent many a night under the stars (as a fisherman) I guess something must have rubbed off on me. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 8:25:00 AM
Looks like another WOW for you. Congratulations on your POTD win. I enjoyed reading your wonderful write again. Have a blessed day writing away with your win......................
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:14:00 AM
Thank again, Paula. Glad you enjoyed it second time around. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 8:22:00 AM
Terry, congratilations on the Potd,i loved it,so well done! Artistic ti the max, Pangiota
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:13:00 AM
Thank-you you, Pangie. I’ve been called many things, but I think ‘artistic’ is a first. So thanks for that too. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 8:16:00 AM
Congratulations Terry on a more than worthy POTD, this one reminds me of when I used to stay out fishing all night, you captured something very special here, one of your best ever poems, and a close second to your spectacular (No God of mine) my all time favourite! So a big fave from me! Cheers David
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David Kavanagh
Date: 2/27/2025 12:47:00 PM
That’s a damn shame Terry, why don’t you rerelease it to the masses, it’s far too good to lie in a back catalogue ;)
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:11:00 AM
Thanks, David. You say the nicest things ;-) It’s been the source of a certain pride that you previously praised ‘No God Of Mine’ so highly, but a measure of despair that, somewhere along the line, Soup simply lost numerous comments including that one of yours. Nonetheless, ‘a close second’ suits me just fine. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 7:03:00 AM
Congrats on POTD with a wonderful poem full of great imagery. That gull must be waiting for french fries:)
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:06:00 AM
Thank you, Oliver. Actually I had considered a last line in which I threw the gull a morsel, but I’d already said that I only had coffee, so that settled that. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 6:23:00 AM
Awesome word portrait you created here lush with internal rhymes and... no cynicism or humor! I mean that in a good way. Enjoy your special day
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 11:03:00 AM
Thanks, Tom. Much appreciated. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 5:36:00 AM
You painted a lovely picture Terry and the meter of the poem is excellent and so easy to read. Hugs Maria
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 10:58:00 AM
Thanks, Maria. To check the meter, I tend to sing my words in my head, which doesn’t always convert to spoken voice - a little tweaking normally fixes that. Glad you enjoyed. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 5:28:00 AM
Terry, your vividly descriptive, skillfully composed poem takes the reader on a leisurely, deeply meaningful journey. CONGRATS on your honor! Janice
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 5:39:00 AM
Thank you, Janice. So glad you enjoyed. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 4:26:00 AM
Dear Terry, back to say CONGRATS!! A stellar award for a stellar poem. Winter blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 5:36:00 AM
Thanks, Daniel. Very much appreciated. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 3:44:00 AM
Terry, every word of my first comment expressed what I thought of this excellent poem. I am SO pleased that it will be read by many others now as Potd. Hugs!
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Lin Lane
Date: 2/27/2025 6:10:00 AM
My dear poet friend, write whatever comes to your imaginative mind. It really doesn’t matter what other people think of your poetry. Toilet brush, a beautiful sunrise, a vigilant wind… as long as you like it, post it to share with others. Good poetry is not bound by humor or serious thoughts.
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 5:34:00 AM
I’m having a private chuckle right now, Lin. Anyone who hasn’t read my stuff before, might see this poem and ask themselves, “I wonder what else he’s written.” And they’ll find my very next poem…. Which is about a loo brush!!! Ho hum.
Date: 2/27/2025 2:56:00 AM
Hello Terry, Congratulations on your POTD win with your beautiful poem. It was an enjoyable read. Wishing you a wonderful day.
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 5:35:00 AM
Thank you, Zyrool. Glad you enjoyed.
Date: 2/27/2025 1:25:00 AM
Terry this is beautiful, so good, a wonderful read. Congratulations on receiving the honour of poem of the day. Well done… Beryl
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:54:00 AM
So glad you enjoyed, Beryl and many thanks for your congrats. I’ve not spent a great deal of time on Soup this year, so I must revisit your pages soon. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 1:20:00 AM
So still and spiritual. Superbly penned. Thanks for sharing, Terry and warmest congratulations on POTD
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:52:00 AM
One of those poems with no predetermined punchline, no destination… just write and see what happens. Perhaps that’s why I wrote it in the now. Many thanks for your congrats and appreciation. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 1:02:00 AM
Thank you for this journey. Congratulations on POTD.
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:48:00 AM
Thanks, Hilda. Much appreciated. Terry
Date: 2/27/2025 12:55:00 AM
- Reading this poem is like experiencing it with you ... a wonderful poem, Terry - Congratulations on your well-deserved p.o.t.d. ... enjoy :) - hugs
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:47:00 AM
Thank you, Anne-Lise. Perhaps I should slip into my serious head a little more often. Glad you enjoyed
Date: 2/27/2025 12:32:00 AM
Back with congratulations to you Terry on your well deserved honour of POTD. Tom
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:45:00 AM
Chuffed with this POTD, Tom. There’s not much that I’ve written this year that I felt overly happy with. So this is a welcome shot in the arm. Terry
Date: 2/26/2025 3:33:00 AM
You take your reader on a amazing journey Terry, love that paint shop explosion enlivens the skies. Great writing. Hope your week is going well. Tom
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/27/2025 2:44:00 AM
Thanks, Tom. This one more or less flowed from my ‘pen’. Some tinkering around the edges and a day trying to choose between two last lines. Glad it’s gone down well.
Date: 2/25/2025 1:08:00 PM
this one blew me away, terry! i was waiting for the humor (humour!) but realized that you were in serious mode and i'm not surprised that you are equally adept at this type of writing. bravo!
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/25/2025 3:52:00 PM
Thank you, Ilene. This has been a lean year for me, inspiration wise. A poem here, a poem there. A few posted, a few ditched, and some posted and then deleted. This one had a better feel about it… so I’m delighted with the comments it’s received, including yours.
Date: 2/25/2025 8:48:00 AM
WOW!!! What a wonderful write and pretty picture you have here. Great from the first line to the last line. I love the beach with the sounds of the water. None here and that is sad. Have a blessed day writing away......................
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Terry Flood
Date: 2/25/2025 8:53:00 AM
Thanks, Paula. Can’t take credit for the picture… that was pixabay, but it was bang on perfect. Always appreciate a comment with a “Wow!” in it. So glad you enjoyed, Paula. Terry
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