© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. I combined and edited this illustration, and this photo, both from the Library of Congress.
Text:
house sparrow knows
apples once ripened
fall to the ground
windows then close
on crumb-bearing boys
and comes the starving time
I posted a challenge last week for you to pick an image of an animal from the Library of Congress collection and using it as inspiration, write a poem. I will display challenge poems here next week in a virtual exhibition titled, "Surprise! A Goose." Remember to send your poem and the link to the inspiration image by next Tuesday for posting on Friday, August 24. [dianemayrATdianemayrDOTcom] You are always free to add your poem to the comments section, too. Read more about the challenge here.
Clever twist at the end, Diane, though not so fortunate for poor wee starving sparrows.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they have ways of protecting themselves, but I still fear for them each winter.
Delete'Comes the starving time'. So poignant, Diane, and what a wonderful match of poem to image.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sally, I try to make my poems fit. I hate reading a poem about cherry blossoms, for example, and the accompanying picture is clearly a rhododendron or some other flowering tree.
DeleteI think we forget that in winter animals have a starving time. I admire how they manage to get through it. Perhaps your sparrow has a storage of seeds to munch.
ReplyDeleteMy LOC challenge is on my blog. Thanks for the little push.
Always happy to provide a little creative nudge! Your poem on the blog is masterful!
DeleteI always feel bad when we hire people to toss sparrows out of our eaves. But they drive me mad, rustling and arguing from the wee hours on. Now I feel sad for them, picturing them starving.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there were such jobs! What are they called? Avian evictors? Wing flingers? ;-)
DeleteI missed PF & your challenge, Diane. It is a harsh time in winter for birds & other forest animals. I like that you brought it so close to home with those 'crumb-bearing boys'.
ReplyDeleteNext Friday I'm posting animal poems inspired by Library of Congress images. It doesn't have to be a bird poem. Email me your poem and a link to the LoC image by next Tuesday.
Deletelove the format of the "sparrow knows" - such a hardy little bird!
ReplyDeleteThe format is a cherita. Three stanzas of one, two, three lines. It's currently my preferred form.
DeleteSad, but oh so vivid and poignant.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the birds will be the first casualties of climate change, too? Sad, indeed.
ReplyDeleteThose poor sparrows--maybe someone will stock a bird feeder or two for the winter. I have been inspired by your cheritas.
ReplyDeleteWindows closing on crumb-bearing boys...such a sombre point to ponder. Thanks, Diane!
ReplyDeleteDiane, your cherita is such a great story but sad as winter comes. I totally forgot to create my LOC poetry offering so maybe I can have it in by tonight. Thanks for offering the challenge.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sally, the image and poem work very well together in your melancholic yet beautiful poem, thanks.
ReplyDelete