All About Japan
A feather plummets slacks downwards,
a sparrowhawk caught prey soars upwards,
bonsai trees grow its shadow midst sunrise,
cherry blossoms shade a path,
sugis eclipse a shrine,
maguro (tuna) swims the deep ocean,
unagi (eel) curves nearby Mount Fuji,
tako (octopus) struts whilst in motion,
fugu (pufferfish) deadly still, yummy,
pink perianths float
touch air then dabbles a creek
~clear blue spills cherries
2020 September 20
*1st Place*
Writing Challenge - Nature, Four in One
~~Constance La France
Categories:
sparrowhawk, imagery, international, nature,
Form: Rhyme
( A bit of drama in the garden last week)
The seed was scattered, and not long to wait,
a Blackbird was the first upon the scene,
moments later followed by its mate,
I could tell the former wasn't really keen.
It chased the female off across the grass,
a sharing bird it definitely was not,
Pigeons arrived, they couldn't let this pass
and started quickly gobbling up the lot.
Until a Magpie swooped upon the crowd
from left to right it jinked, chased them away,
to dine with such a bird was not allowed,
it smugly strutted, having won the day.
Just then, a blur of feathers from above
as bravely wading in on the attack,
unlikely was this foe, a Collared Dove
surprisingly, it drove the Magpie back.
Harassing the Magpie 'till it was gone,
leaving the field of battle with a squawk,
The combats all concluded, now just one-
but one was enough for the Sparrowhawk.
Categories:
sparrowhawk, bird,
Form: Couplet
In the Druid tradition an inspired Bard was said to possess "bird's knowledge." Druid shamans would dress in cloaks of bird feathers to perform certain ceremonies, and divination would be practiced by observing the flight of birds. In trance, the Druid would enlist the aid of his bird spirit-ally to fly to other realms, or would transform himself into a bird on the inner planes to accomplish a certain task. Each type of bird represents different qualities, evokes different experiences, and has different gifts for the Druid: the eagle brings renewal, the wren humility, the swan grace, the raven initiation. The hawk, whether kite, harrier, merlin, goshawk, or sparrowhawk, can give nobility and stature, dignity and pride. I once heard that a Cherokee shaman had to turn into a hummingbird in order to find the lost tobacco seed, in their mythology, it was brought to them by the hummingbird.
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Categories:
sparrowhawk, spiritual,
Form: Narrative
Russet browns and crackling
yellow browns
Traipse idly down from leafy
spill;
For by summers gate
Glorious Autumn awaits
To plough once again, here,
Under Dingles hill.
A pleasant warming breeze
gently caresses the trees
And strokes through the baize
Green frill;
The brooding Sparrowhawk
Flights her rush -
To seize upon her hapless
kill!
Ancient dappled glades offer
Restful, cooling shades
And welcome respite from
Above until:
A waning sun begins its
Seasonal run...
Leaving us all firmly gripped
In Winters chill.
Categories:
sparrowhawk, september,
Form: Rhyme
The Lady with the look of serenity fell asleep towards noon
dreaming of her love by a very beautiful mimosa tree
that seemed to hold the transparent, patchy moon
into its branches gleaming with dew as they waved softly.
Over the dark and eerie forest clouds rose thicker than smoke,
only a sparrowhawk would come down and curiously look
and see her laying there face-up as if she were dead...
he wondered why such a stunning beauty seemed sad.
The spirit of dawn stood over her body as a stately sentinel
thinking she was dreaming, but didn't hear her heartbeat,
and patiently waited for her to wake up and wish her well;
he never realized she was a corpse with the coldest feet.
The lady with the look of serenity wasn't another sleeping beauty,
she took a vile of poison and waited to die on the prettiest meadow,
refusing to remember that unfaithful lover who made her sad and weary;
why did she choose death...instead of living as free as any sparrow?
Categories:
sparrowhawk, death, depression, girlfriend-boyfriend, nature,
Form: Rhyme