Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Miracle



Another poem about birds. And common miracles. And other stuff. Submitted to dVerse OpenLinkNight.

Miracle

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning,
and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Through the open window
I hear the titmice pecking
the seeds held firmly
in their feet, coat-button
eyes and electrified tuft
giving them the look
of habitual astonishment,
like old ladies who pluck
their eyebrows into
overturned vees.

Nothing really surprises them,
though, not even when I swing open
the storm door to take out
the trash; they drop
their meal and dart away, scolding
me from the top
of the crape myrtle, glad
for the chance to dramatize
a non-event.

Inverting the miracle
of Elijah’s food-bearing ravens,
they return a moment later
for a fresh seed.

20 comments:

  1. Hard to post comment. Really loved this one... the description of the titmice is really good.

    Here we have other visitors to observe...

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    1. Thanks Bjorn--the titmice are little bullies, frightening off the chickadees and finches.

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  2. So very cool. I love the images, especially the old ladies with the overplucked eyebrows. I also love how birds can scold you for interrupting them from eating birdseed that you put out. The whole scene is a miracle.

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    1. Thanks Heidi--those are good days, when the wonders of life stand out in the simple daily events.

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  3. Sweet titmice and birds . Miracles of beauty.The human destroys the peace with his rattling round in the trash can. I do not know the old testament as well as you do. The elijah story eludes me. Will have to research. Enjoyed this.Thanks for your cheeky comment bad boy Nico!

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    1. Thanks Cress--I don't mean to destroy the peace, it just happens as a matter of course. 1 Kings 17. This story of Elijah was one of my favorites when I was a kid in Sunday school. I liked it much better than the one where he massacres the heathens at the altar of Baal.

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  4. What a lovely scene to behold ~ I also like old ladies image and the sounds they make when you interrupt their meal ~

    Good to see you Nico ~

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    1. Thanks Grace--I knew that image would come in handy, I'm glad I kept a hold of it.

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  5. like old ladies who pluck

    their eyebrows into

    overturned vees:

    a cracking simile nico: the first stanza is a superb entry
    making my PO eyes light up.

    I am obsessed with the names of bird and butterfly species.

    I admire the way you take this subject
    and give it life enough
    to interest and even bite a little

    a nipping peck, at least . . .

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    1. Thanks Arron--I'm similarly obsessed, my kids are already calling me the "crazy bird guy," and I feel like I still have a good ways to go to earn that title.

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  6. This is very good! I love the ending:

    "lad
    for the chance to dramatize
    a non-event.
    Inverting the miracle
    of Elijah’s food-bearing ravens,
    they return a moment later
    for a fresh seed"

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    1. Thanks Aqua--we think it some great wonder that the ravens fed Elijah; what about the wonder of us, reasonable humans that we are, putting seed out for the birds?

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  7. so cool...nothing really surprises them....dramatize a non-event...ha... i like how you build the bridge to elijah here...and ..like old ladies who pluck
    their eyebrows into
    overturned vees... what a wonderful image...

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    1. Thanks Claudia. Birds are great over-actors, dramatic players--come to think of it, they are much like us in important ways!

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  8. I like the description of the bird. it seems to fit quite perfectly. there really is nothing like a little drama to add some zest to your daily meal.

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    1. Thanks RMP. With all my kids, you can bet we never have a meal without a little drama--hell, we seldom have even a brief moment without drama!

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  9. Love the opening stanza... and how they dramatize the non event...scolding you...that's just perfect. This made me smile, I try not to disturb the birds but it's an impossible thing...mind you when I let the animals out the birds do get a bit angry and will chase them makes me laugh...other birds just stay in the yard in defiance as if to say "come on take me on I dare you!" Really enjoyed this Nico!

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    1. Thanks Di--the birds do seem to intentionally antagonize the cats. I wonder if what we think is bird song is actually mischievous laughter?

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