In the April of Covid 19
Day 28
“… and then (sang) another in which she said her heart was like a bird’s nest ...”Dylan Thomas
Mockingbird
Woven bed of milkweed.
Lambswool and lichen. Braids of grass.
My heart-nest where mockingbird
composed her song of skyloving weather.
And the bird pecked feathers
from her breastbone. Gave up flight for
brooding in the hollow chamber.
A voice of numberless notes unseeded.
Now the nest lies abandoned
in this cage of my ribs. And I search
the forgotten summertime
of singing trees in hope of wings return.
Skylover Wordlist: Numberless
Play It Again Toads: Harper Lee
"Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.”
Harper Lee
Beautiful images.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Delete"A voice of numberless notes unseeded," this is such a heartwrenchingly beautiful image, Kerry!💌 I how seamlessly you have incorporated the theme in this poem as well as the quote that has inspired it! Kudos!💘👏
ReplyDeleteLots of inspiration for this one, Sanaa. Thank you.
DeleteI love the images and longings in your poem🌹🙏
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteAbsolutely gorgeous, Kerry. This month's poems would make a smashing book. Your pen is on fire.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Sherry.
DeleteI feel the melancholy..the grief of things gone and longing for their return
ReplyDeleteAh, so good to know. That is what I was going for!
DeleteYour heart-nest is a soft and comfortable place to compose songs, Kerry; and I love the combination of colours in lambswool and lichen, and the ‘skyloving weather’. The twist in mood is sudden and painful, with the bird pecking ‘feathers from her breastbone’. The final stanza is so melancholic, although there is some hope in the final line.
ReplyDeleteOne always hopes the nest will provide shelter for another brood of hatchlings in more favourable weather.
DeleteNostalgic, gently yearning, and full of dearly accumulated wisdom--what more can one ask of a song, or a singer? Beautiful, Kerry.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautifully written, Kerry. For me....it especially timely. On our almost daily walks to get exercise and fresh air in these times of "staying at home" -- we've been watching a number of geese nesting. One day was saw a goose just moving her head back and forth, moving grasses and bits of paper and twigs and whatever was near her to build her nest. The next day we came and there she was, sitting. Several days later upon our return, there were 5 large eggs but no mama. Next day, broken eggs and no mama. Last week we came upon another mama goose...her nearby nest with broken-out eggs and about 5 tiny tufts of yellow feathers walking all around her. Yesterday, a cold and dreary day, we came upon yet another mama goose...some feathers in her beak....what looked to be maybe one broken out egg shell beside her...and she was settled in...and then would squirm a bit....and then seeing us began to hiss and lifted up a bit and we saw these yellow feathers squirming trying to get out from under her protective wings but she quickly settled back down and hid them. We could imagine her say....it's too cold...you're not big enough yet!
ReplyDeleteLong comment I know....but your wording here "heart nest" and then the emptiness and longing. It strikes me now only for the bird...but also the human mom. The nesting...the caring....the empty nest.
I really enjoyed this one, Kerry!
And I do agree....you should make a book of this month's posts that you've done!