Blackbird Rising
Lens framing the rising sun,
I turn at the sound of a trill
Red-wing clings to tall grass,
wary of my presence
Greeted by a stunning image
in the glow of morning’s light
My lens pivots to capture
the beauty of a perfect pose
Framing and focus seem
only a matter of seconds
Avian patience exhausted
its wings are lost in the rising sun
This poem is a re-imagining of Consolation, a poem I posted here
for NaPoWriMo 2015, before I had many followers.
Shared with Open Link Night at dVerse~ Poets Pub
Images
Top: Chris Engel / Pixabay
Bottom: David P. Whelan / Morguefile
rivrvlogr 
Yes. I have seen and heard this beautiful creature all across the west. Locally, they are most at home in the back-country meadows. Thank you for sharing your lens and word with us K.
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And thank you, Daniel.
Their call is unmistakable.
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Beautiful piece, Ken and what a stunning last two lines to finish with:
“Avian patience exhausted
its wings are lost in the rising sun”
Great!
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Thank you, Scott. When I looked at “Consolation,” those lines came to me and I decided I needed to work the rest of the poem towards that.
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This is beautifully captured, Ken! 🙂 I especially like the image; “Avian patience exhausted/its wings are lost in the rising sun.”
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Thank you, Sanaa. 🙂
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As a poet and photographer, I agree that poetry can capture what the camera lens is too slow to grasp. Words rise out of images, but more importantly images rise out of words.
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Thank you, Glenn.
And well said.
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Beautiful, Ken. You really captured that moment. I felt like I was there with you.
Red-wing blackbirds always seem to be in motion when I see them. I’ve never been able to get a photo (not that I have an actual camera. . .)
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Thank you, Merril. I don’t see them here. They have a distinctive call, and back in New York I’d turn my head at their call, assured of seeing one, it’s so distinctive.
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You’re right, it is very distinctive. I discovered this year that they like the wetland areas, and since I’ve been walking in the morning, I’ve seen them–not recently, but earlier in the summer.
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Wow, beautiful work! The imagery was amazing to visualize and you really brought it to life. ❤ ❤ Amazing poetry.
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🙂 Thank you, Lucy.
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Beautiful imagery in motion, Ken!
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Thank you, Barb. 🙂
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Cannot count the times I’ve tried to get a good photo of a redwing blackbird! They just do NOT have patience to sit still. More challenging still, often the beautiful shield of red is not visible. Applause for your patience and luck with camera – an inspiring read. I’ll try again …
(Enjoyed reading the earlier poem also – thanks for including the link.)
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Thank you, Jazz.
Good luck with those photos. The two here were found online.
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Nothing will detract from my admiration for this work, KG, but I have to admit:
after I read it for the 1st time and went about my business until I could sit down & respond, I was hum/singing The Beatles tune, Blackbird. Sorry.
They DO fly away, though, don’t they? Nice work.
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Thanks, Ron.
Same here, re the song, but was able to get out of that during Open mic.
Thanks for replanting the earworm. 😉
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We see these birds here in wet meadows areas. Next time I glimpse one I will remember your poem.
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😀 Thank you, Claudia.
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Love the wings lost in the rising sun! You are right only seconds to snap! Great poem and wonderful photo to go with it.
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Thanks, Dwight. 🙂
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It is surprising I don’t see them much around here as this is the kind of marshy area they like. You reading this brought it to life today. Truly magical. Nice to see you today!
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Thank you, Lisa. That was a nice chat session.
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Sure was!
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A perfect ode to a beautiful bird: a very different type of blackbird to those I am used to seeing. Thank you for your reading last night, I enjoyed it.
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Thank you, Ingrid. I’m in Missouri at the far north end of the Ozarks, so it’s mostly hills and bluffs with little wetland (at least in my immediate area). They were a frequent sight when I lived in Western New York.
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You captured photography in words with this one, Ken, as well as the blackbird. I love how it interrupted your concentration with a trill, and the interplay of bird and light, and how your reading brought it to life..
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Thank you, Kim. It has a distinctive call.
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You’ve truly captured the moment! I like the way nature is appreciated and celebrated in your words. It was especially nice to hear you read this aloud yesterday at our Open Mic.
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Thank you, Mish. I’m glad Björn has decided to have the open mic more often.
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I don’t believe I have ever spotted a bird as lovely …. we have birds in my Central Oregon town, way too many noisy blue jays in our back yard. LOL
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I’m in mid-Missouri. Besides the typical sparrows and finches, I see plenty of cardinals and the occasional woodpecker. There’s always a tufted titmouse or chickadee at the bird feeder.
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Beautiful picture!
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Thank you. 🙂 I wish I could say I’d taken it.
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