Featured Poem: The Fallen Bird

 

Marcy Von Kohorn
Vero Beach Branch

(a true story)

Looking out the large glass window

Thoughts so very far away

Sunlight dancing on the flowers

A carpet of grass on a sparkling day

 

But a black dot, like a blemish

Marring the perfect view

Focusing as it moved so gently

Glistening like a drop of dew

 

Touched softly by the summer breeze

Fluttering wings, unable to fly

Awakening a kindred hurt in me

A fallen bird, getting ready to die

 

Through the celestial blue

Another bird flew

Wings aglint in the bright sun

Soaring to save the fallen one

 

Prodding and lifting again and again

The struggling bird as it lay in pain

In a final struggle the bird did die

Never to sing and never to fly

 

Streaking then from every direction

Flew many birds section by section

Forming a circle around the pair

Silent and still as though in prayer.

 

 

12 comments

  1. Linda O’Malley says:

    Marcy, you have captured this moment of time beautifully. Thank you for sharing another piece of life for everyone to reflect upon. You are truly a blessing.

  2. Barbara Chopin says:

    Marcy, All my life I have known you as a talented master of Chinese brushwork. I never knew you were a talented writer as well. The poem strikes a visceral chord. Beautiful

  3. Beautiful but so sad! Birds use to fly into my glass doors and I prayed they would make it and even thou they laid there still
    Many came back to life just when you thought there was no hope. Always have hope!

  4. Janet Fagal says:

    Oh, the beauty of this moment. And it is a true story….even better and not one I have heard about before. I was very touched when I read this earlier and was not able to respond. Your last stanza is simply stunning. It makes me think of a funeral from a movie with all the black umbrellas and all the people in black circling the grave of a loved one. But birds. Eerie and yet so beautiful. I wish I had seen this.

  5. Christina Laurie says:

    Oh My Goodness. WHat a testimony of community, love, and shared grief. I know crows mate for life and mourn the death of a mate. It’s quite a picture of God’s love.

  6. Tracy Lanum says:

    This beautiful poem touched my heart in many directions. It shows us that birds have emotions just as we humans do, and so many of God’s other creatures. Thank you.

  7. Lois Batchelor Howard says:

    Marcy, this story is so beautifully ‘captured’ by you. Thank you so; very touching, very tender, the likeness between the birds and humans One. I’ve seen this in animals, too, fellow creatures coming to a birth and gathering around the mother and new little one in celebration. I love the way you write; deep thanks for sharing your true story.

  8. Cleo Griffith says:

    Lovely poem. Nature reminds us, in so many ways, of what is important in life – like empathy.

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