Cardinal Poems

The fire, this fire...
Any fire, the fire..

Still the only thing
I know which lets
so easily go, bit
after bit of itself -
and, what falls away
falls up.

The red, upfalling snowflakes-
free to dance into the rising Night.
The smoke curls, twists
and snakes toward a promised
indistinguishment:...Read More

Good old Tony Abbott*
Has leapt higher than a rabbit,
Defending his mate-in-Christ Cardinal Pell,
Despite dear George's nasty smell.

*Ex-Australian PM....Read More

Blackbird, blackbird, where have you gone?
Here the limbs you lately danced upon,
In sunset orange, in sunset red,
Now the grapevine says, "Blackbird is dead."

Disbelieving owl cries, "Who? Who?"
Disheartened rooster won't cock-a-doodle-doo.
Nanette laid flowers on the grave.
He took but little, but much...Read More

A cardinal now calls out through the trees,
Hoping its lonely presence will be known,
As the branches slowly sway in the breeze.

The bird sings with the hope that one of these
Days it will no longer sing on its own– 
A cardinal...Read More

it was us wearing joy and everything 
Partying from day to dawn of the midnight 
Making memories like rome knights 
With no idea of what was right 
That was us in jolly time 

Look at us now 
With bags full...Read More

bird
delicate petite
flying flitting flapping
cardinal wren rodent shrew
scattering scurrying shrieking
gray round 
mouse

...Read More

Snow fell hard and fast, whitening everything in her path.  Grass, birdbath, 
bushes, trees, bird feeders, and bird baths all saturated with the cold stuff.
The only dashes of color are the black limbs and the red cardinals who are
taking...Read More

                  long frosty midnight
                  a lonely...Read More

winters pure harshness
cardinals in an apple tree
barely surviving

...Read More

my bird seed seeker
red cardinal in the oak tree
gentle fluttering

...Read More

I Walk in Quiet Solitude

A cardinal sits alone upon a barren limb
within the confines of this wintry city park;
I walk in quiet solitude while watching him
as north winds blow and January day is dark,
and wonder why we two must bear...Read More

A blue jay cries high in the tree
on a branch, vibrant blues we see

A cardinal pair perched for seed
as the bright red male takes the lead 

A chickadee lands as he sings
a dee, dee, dee and flaps his wings

A grey...Read More

a cardinal sits
proudly in a high pine bough
regal scarlet head...Read More

mistletoe in white 
snowflakes gently falling down~
as cardinals kiss

12/17/19...Read More

All I want is time to write,
A little space,
Some oak trees and butterflies.

All I want is a cardinal to land
A few feet away
on God's terms 

All I want is the spirit to work
And think and pray and play
on my own...Read More

bells ring on christmas

near white-frosted  evergreens . . .

a cardinal sings


Dec. 16, 2019

Writing Challenge, December - Winter Haiku or Senryu

Sponsor, Dear Heart - Wiishkobi Ode...Read More

cardinal shakes the snow
off his wet crimson feathers
in the warm morning sun

...Read More

An Observation
By: Tom
4-9-2006

The morning was chilled,
and the sun played peek-a-boo through the clouds.

A Cardinal chirped a song from atop it’s perch on a tomato cage, 
signaling to me that all was well at that moment,
Which was all I’ve been promised.

That...Read More

Fleetingly the day begins
Clouds roam in and out
Cold air seizes my imagination
Shaken the oak tree melts into the driveway
The cardinal pecks away at a piece of seed
Cat watches with avid interest
Life is tenuous

Storm comes up suddenly
Rain pelts us with ice...Read More

A beautiful soul with spreading arms, but tired of a constant embrace
a steep valley, grassed and watered by so much pampering
bordered by two massaging hills and round-the-clock sheltering
then much attention is given to the Winchester to always stay refilled.
Wide is...Read More

Crows, bats, witches, haunted houses, goblins, ghosts and me
Pumpkin bread, corn pudding, warm caramel apples my way.
Delicate intricate spider webs between my house and garage.
Holding me in a delighted way on an October day.

Stringy gooey gritty globs of pumpkin slosh...Read More

Nothing happens in the place of forever, just
The vagaries of the universe with no orderly manners.
Let me pause - and I will exist no longer, as much as 
Insanity does without the tools of torment and pain.
At the feet of...Read More

"When a cardinal appears in your yard, it's a visitor from heaven." Author Unknown


Red holiday bright feathers contrast against the white snow
While most birds fly south your beauty now steals the show
You appear at my feeders, loudly singing your distinctive...Read More

Crows, bats, witches, haunted houses, goblins, ghosts and me
Pumpkin bread, corn pudding, warm caramel apples my way.
Delicate intricate spider webs between my house and garage.
Holding me in a delighted way on an October day.

Stringy gooey gritty globs of pumpkin slosh...Read More

I travel on the road arduous and stark dark,
God, show me the grace of your divine light,
save my soul from clutch of devils that lurk,
don’t forsake me, don’t go out of my sight.

On the way if I slip on slime...Read More