Mockingbird
Withdrawn, it unfolds
to another
voice, like that
of a child lost in the wind.
Or, lonely, it rises from its place
and sings, only
to return and start again.
The pleasure we accept derives from
the knowledge that we are not alone.
Each morning we walk out and sit
by the stones, hoping to observe some
new patterns in his life. What we
see is an answer. What we hear is no song.
This is beautiful!
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Thank you, Laine.
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Very beautiful, and Interesting movement!
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Thank you. If I were to write this same poem today (it’s probably 25+ years old) it would likely look and sound a bit different. π
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Wow! i echo others when i say that your poem is beautiful but it i more than that, it is poignant and powerful. It really makes this reader think. I have always had a fascination with mockingbirds. (One of my 3 favorite books is of course “To Kill A Mockingbird.”
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Thank you. Mockingbirds are among my favorites to observe and listen to. The variety of sound and songs they’re able to mimic is incredible!
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Kinda bleak , Robert?
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Possibly.
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Nice image. The poem captures the feeling of the mockingbird
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Thanks very much.
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Lovely, Bob! One of my “Top Five Okaji” poems ever! It brings back powerfully my Mema teaching me the songs of her favorite birds, just as she taught me the stars and set me on the path I’ve followed for over sixty years. Thank you so much for making fresh the memories almost forgotten.
With Deep Respect,
Ron
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Hey, Ron! I’m so pleased the poem had that effect (and that it made your top five list). Thanks, as always.
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A lovely poem about a wonderful bird.
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Thank you. They are wonderful, aren’t they?
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What a beautiful picture. Enjoyed the poetry as well!
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Thanks, Jeff. The photo is from morguefile.com, my go-to site for photos.
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You words evoked childhood memories. Thank you.
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The pleasure was all mine. Thank you for your support!
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In the vein of Mary Oliver. Love it!
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Curiously, I wasn’t a Mary Oliver fan when I wrote this poem long ago. Of course now I adore her writing! Thank you.
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I’m currently reading “Blue Horses” and loving it. It seems quite a few people blow off her work as “nature poetry” (why is that a bad thing?!) but they fail to grasp the nuances in her writing, IMO.
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I think some fail to see that it’s not the what of her writing that matters, it’s the how of the writing, the way she expresses herself so subtly and elegantly.
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Pleasure is a matter of acceptance, isn’t it? Very spare and evocative!
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Acceptance and a little awareness, I think.
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SO LOVELY,ROBERT. DO NOT CHANGE A WORD. JUDY
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Thanks, Judy.
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From nature as we learn the ways of the bird on how they live is the right way for us to learn to live too – be open. Beautiful. I love this.
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Thank you. I have to remind myself that while birds bring peaceful feelings to me, many of them are predators. A bit of this, a bit of that…
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Lovely…reading it was a great way to start my meditation this morning. Thank you.
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I’m so pleased you thought so. Thank you.
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Love this, Robert. My favorite lines: ” it unfolds
to another
voice, like that
of a child lost in the wind.”
It caught my heart.
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Thank you!
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i enjoy mocking birds. however, the lonely males that don’t sleep and wail away at night tend to be very annoying at times. if i could only find them a mate and a peaceful night for myself.
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A new career? John Hauge, Matchmaker for the birds!
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Yes! I like “no song.” No easy answers for us, mockingbird.
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You’ve got that right: no easy answers!
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Very nice: thank you.
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Thanks very much, David.
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Reblogged this on RyanLucia.
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Thanks for reblogging.
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Thanks so much for checking out my blog. I appreciate the like too!
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You’re very welcome. I enjoyed your blog.
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Gorgeous! I love how the Mocker’s song really evokes the sense of being glad to be alive. β€
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Watching the bachelor males performing their antics will certainly evoke that sense!
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Your poem is beautiful, and very timely for me – I’m writing a novel, and birds figure thematically, and so does a child being lost! Inspiration, and I enjoyed the beautiful picture too!
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Birds are everywhere!
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We learn so much from our moments with birds. Love this one.
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Indeed we do. Thank you.
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I like the idea of birds communicating with us, whether deliberately or not, and have always sought dialogue with the rest of nature’s diminishing denizens. Thanks for the beautiful poem, and for liking my last post.
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I suppose we communicate by observing and listening to, and by participating with them in some small way. Thanks for stopping by, Stew. I always enjoy your blog.
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Hi Robert…I have a mockingbird poem too (not posted in my blog yet) – ha ha. Amazing birds. Thank you for liking my prose poem “Winter Weekly Vacuum.”
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I hope you post it soon! Thanks for stopping by.
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I cannot say why, but the Mockingbirds in my neighborhood crack me up. I always find myself chuckling as I walk away. Thank you for the reminder of how much I miss their chatter during the winter π
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For a while a mocker in our neighborhood made the strangest sound. I finally determined that it was a ring tone. Why he chose that is beyond me. π
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Beautiful and strong. Your poem draws my mind in just like the sounds of a mockingbird, the pictures and words flow well together.
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Thank you. Mockingbirds certainly draw us in, don’t they?
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So many songs…..so many meanings. Who is he singing for? Who are we?
Lovely poem!
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Yes, yes! So many. Thank you.
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Absolutely fabulous!!!
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I’m so pleased you think so. Thank you.
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Pingback: Slipping through the cracks. | Live Love Laugh
Nice
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Thank you.
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