Thursday, March 16, 2017

#SOL17 - Seventeen of Thirty-One And Poetry Friday



Number seventeen of thirty-one, over halfway through the month of the Two Writing Teachers March Challenge.

And today, celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Poetry Friday with Robyn Hood Black at her blog, Life On The Deckle Edge! She's brought a bit of the green in her poetry for us! Thanks, Robyn!


     I think this might be the final time for my "snowy" Poetry Friday button. I know that many of you have had too much snow to find a shamrock, but here in Colorado, except in the mountains, it's over 70 degrees and I've had to begin watering. I'm not bragging. We really could use a lot of that snow! 

Read this quote carefully. I believe it holds some hope for us in this chaotic political year: 

          "In Ireland, the inevitable never happens and the unexpected constantly occurs."  
Sir John Pentland Mahaffy.

taken by Linda Baie
          I wrote about crows and an old picture book about them last week, then starting searching for other pieces about them. I even tried to connect this somehow to St. Patrick's Day, but I discovered that Ireland's bird is the gyrfalcon, NOT a crow. Here is a poem I wrote a few years ago sitting at our old home with my husband, looking out. Our home backed onto a park, and we were blessed with many birds, among them, crows.  

 Sharing Breakfast

A pair of crows-
  visitors each morning-
  startle when we open the door,
  fly away in tandem,
  a steadfast couple.
  They soon return to gather
  the breakfast peanuts
  and settle at the birdbath.
  Each holds a peanut,
  dipping, cracking.
  During the munching, their
  husky calls reach our own breakfast table.
  Here are my husband and myself,
  reading news bits to each other,
  chomping on granola and blueberries.
               Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved



26 comments:

  1. The steadfast couple chomping on bits. Your poetry paints the picture of devotion and camaraderie.

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  2. Such strong visuals in this poem. I am not fond of crows, too many in our neighbourhood. Your treat them kindly in your poem.

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  3. What a lovely poem, Linda - it conjures up a peaceful scene of noticing and delighting in what is noticed. Great quote, too, for these troubling times.

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  4. Breakfast buddies! I was watching the news last night and noticed that the weather in Denver was in the 70's. I'm a tad bit jealous. Have a great Friday, Linda!

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  5. I love the dual images of the crows and you and your husband sharing breakfast. Yes, I do like the Irish quote you shared for these times.

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  6. Wonderful poem, Linda. I was right with you watching those crows. Such fascinating birds. Love the comparison between them and you and your husband, chatting at the breakfast table.

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  7. Linda, your poem overshadowed the frightful image of crows haunting Tippi Hedren in the movie, Birds. I can now remember the delightful twosome you have created and rest assured of no nightmares.

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  8. What a wonderful scene of contentment and all's right with the world your poem conveys, Linda. Great imagery.

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  9. What a wonderful scene - two couples sharing their morning together!

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  10. I love this, Linda. Your poem is both beautiful and touching. We can all relate to moments like the one you described. Great work!

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  11. You've built a strong image of those crows, but I love how it ends. Just right.

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  12. A beautiful poem indeed! And I don't have such a bad view of crows when I read this. I think this morning a Mama or Daddy crow was yelling at me because I turned on the light too early. The quote from Mahaffy has provided me some encouragement. Thanks!

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  13. I really love this poem - the birds and the parallels to your husband and you...adorable. I had the spring sighting of robins in my front yard today, as I came home from school...I love birds.

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  14. How delightful....a love poem, really. I think this one is frame-able. Thank you for sharing this. I have an even stronger love of crows.

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  15. I love the serenity of this poem, Linda, with both steadfast couple sharing a meal. The quote is worth holding onto, even though it's hard not to be too pessimistic about our national state of affairs.

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  16. I can see it all so,clearly. I love the word, startled and how you use it. Makes the entire poem for me.

    Birds are fascinating. I collect crow books. When I was 8 I entered a crow calling contest. It was held in the country. I grew up a minute from the George Washington Bridge. Needless to say, I lost the contest but kept the fascination.

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  17. Linda, such a lovely comparison. A steadfast couple and then the two of you. I'm wondering if you've read any nonfiction about crows. When I taught 3rd grade, the crows always got into the lunch boxes while the students had recess after lunch. We had to put the lunch boxes into plastic bins to keep the crows out.

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  18. Thanks everyone. Whether you like crows or not, they are fascinating (along with ravens). Mary Ann, you might like my post last Friday to see if you have book I shared. Ramona, I've been trying to get Crow Smarts from the library, but there are lots of holds. I may need to buy it! Yes, I know they're clever. My one story is that I saw several protect some little song birds from a hawk who was trying to grab one at my old house. they intercepted the hawk as it flew in.

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  19. 'Dipping, cracking. During the munching, their husky call...' So lovely. One can hear respect and affection in your poem, Linda.

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  20. Thanks for painting this handsome and endearing pair of crows for us to look upon Linda, a heartfelt slice of life! And hears to hoping for some unexpected good to happen!

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  21. Linda, what a lovely image of the skittish birds and the placid granola-eaters, sharing a peaceful morning together. Charming.

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  22. Gorgeous poem, Linda, and as I mentioned in the roundup, so interesting to read the same week as Penny Harter's over at Jama's. Thank you for sharing - and, as you frequently remind us, crows are amazing creatures! XO

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  23. Yes, I'm a week late, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your touching poem, Linda.

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