August 16, 2018

Poetry Friday--Bird Challenge

Christie at Wondering and Wondering is hosting the Poetry Friday Round-Up for today. Two Fridays ago, in preparing for her hosting stint, she issued a call for bird poems to be posted today. I wrote a cherita, inspired by an old illustration found on the Library of Congress website, to meet the challenge. It's not a particularly happy poem, and I actually feel bad about posting it. Apples will be here soon and we'll be rushing headlong through fall and into winter. The non-migratory sparrows always break my heart during particularly harsh spells. I'm uplifted, though, by their constancy and willingness to sing all year round.


© 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.
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18 comments:

  1. Kathryn ApelAugust 17, 2018 at 5:26 AM

    Clever twist at the end, Diane, though not so fortunate for poor wee starving sparrows.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:30 PM

      I'm sure they have ways of protecting themselves, but I still fear for them each winter.

      Delete
  2. Sally MurphyAugust 17, 2018 at 5:42 AM

    'Comes the starving time'. So poignant, Diane, and what a wonderful match of poem to image.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:32 PM

      Thanks, 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.

      Delete
  3. Margaret SimonAugust 17, 2018 at 6:40 AM

    I 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.
    My LOC challenge is on my blog. Thanks for the little push.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:34 PM

      Always happy to provide a little creative nudge! Your poem on the blog is masterful!

      Delete
  4. Brenda at FriendlyFairyTalesAugust 17, 2018 at 8:43 AM

    I 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.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:40 PM

      I didn't know there were such jobs! What are they called? Avian evictors? Wing flingers? ;-)

      Delete
  5. Linda BAugust 17, 2018 at 9:49 AM

    I 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'.

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:44 PM

      Next 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.

      Delete
  6. Donna SmithAugust 17, 2018 at 4:35 PM

    love the format of the "sparrow knows" - such a hardy little bird!

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    1. Diane MayrAugust 17, 2018 at 7:48 PM

      The format is a cherita. Three stanzas of one, two, three lines. It's currently my preferred form.

      Delete
  7. Kimberly HutmacherAugust 18, 2018 at 6:10 AM

    Sad, but oh so vivid and poignant.

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  8. Diane MayrAugust 18, 2018 at 7:25 AM

    I wonder if the birds will be the first casualties of climate change, too? Sad, indeed.

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  9. KayAugust 18, 2018 at 8:19 PM

    Those poor sparrows--maybe someone will stock a bird feeder or two for the winter. I have been inspired by your cheritas.

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  10. Matt Forrest EsenwineAugust 19, 2018 at 8:23 PM

    Windows closing on crumb-bearing boys...such a sombre point to ponder. Thanks, Diane!

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  11. Carol VarsalonaAugust 21, 2018 at 4:26 PM

    Diane, 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.

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  12. Michelle KoganAugust 22, 2018 at 2:12 AM

    I agree with Sally, the image and poem work very well together in your melancholic yet beautiful poem, thanks.

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